Delirium
by Sarah Rose Serena
Summary: When Richard and Kahlan wake up in a compromising position, with no idea where they are, and no memory of how they got there, their quest to find answers, repair the damage, and return to Zedd, turns into more than they bargained for. Mystery/Adventure.
1. Confusion: Part 1

_**Delirium**_

_Legend of the Seeker_

_Prologue_

_Confusion: Part 1_

…

A soft, tingling sensation rushing through her, barely noticeable, was what jolted Kahlan awake. It felt electric, though it didn't sting, simply invigorated.

That alone was strange enough to keep her mind occupied, but she didn't have time to consider it, because her surroundings came into her sense's focus once the shock of the static faded. And she was made painfully aware of several things instantaneously.

The heavy pressure over her, the tight constraints making her feel bound and trapped, and the smooth, hard body pressed above her all came into acute focus. Overheated skin pressed to hers, and though her nerve endings had come alive, the heat was scorching her, and not entirely in a bad way, just uncomfortable.

Her breathing was labored as she craned her neck up off the pillow hesitantly, her icy blue eyes raking over everything in her line of sight. Her back arched restlessly up off the bed, nudging the man sprawled over her, half on top of her, half beside her.

His face was hidden in the curve of her neck, raven waves of hair obscuring his features… but she knew immediately who he was. There was no doubt of it. And if she hadn't been sure before, she was utterly positive who he was when her gaze landed on his torso, which was twisted to allow his lower body to lie on his side.

The small yet distinct dark coloring of a scar was clear against his bronzed skin.

Panic seized Kahlan's heart, stopping its rhythm momentarily as her mind raced and she mentally reached the point of hyperventilation, the situation painfully clear, despite the confusion that plagued her.

They were twisted together, entangled in white sheets on a strange bed, in a strange small cottage that, as far as she could tell from her current position, consisted of exactly one room with a bunch of cluttered furniture pieces shoved into it.

"No." She breathed out in horror, turning her head to the side and lifting her shoulder, jostling him pointedly. _'No, no, no, no, no… it couldn't be. She couldn't have.' _

Her mind screamed out at her in panic and horror. Though for the life of her, she couldn't recall the events that had led them to this circumstance, there was really no questioning the exact position they were currently in, and just what exactly it meant. It meant she'd failed him. She'd damned them all, and stolen his soul. It wasn't until she tried to shake him awake with her hands that she was momentarily distracted from her agonized panic by simple confusion.

That was the point where her head drew up, pressing into the pillow as she strained to look up to where her arms were tied to the bed post above them. The sight, combined with the feel of the ropes chafing the soft skin of her wrist sent Kahlan over her edge of forced calm.

Forgetting the more pressing worries afflicting her, Kahlan twisted her body sideways, shoving her knee mildly into his side. A soft grunt escaped him as he cringed, coaxed violently awake by her efforts.

"Richard." She breathed out anxiously, jostling him continuously until he propped himself up on an elbow, frowning as he looked around them, baffled.

"Kahlan…?" It came out a whisper, groggy and thick. His gaze returned to her, widening in shock as he took note of their dangerous situation. It turned into a long moment of staring soundlessly, confusion the dominantly shared emotion passing between them.

Her panic and urgency pushed away the rush of lust that coursed through him, and she parted her lips to speak, licking them as she gathered herself, and gestured towards where her hands were tied.

"Richard… my-my hands…" She began, breathing hard and eyes imploring as she tugged against the restraints, not getting any slack whatsoever.

It hit her hard, pounding through her chest and dizzying her head. But the moment apprehension hit him he hurried to free her, their state of undress and questioning circumstance momentarily forgotten.

As soon as he broke the ropes, Kahlan yanked her arms down to her side, springing up in bed, and rubbing her sore wrists as she held the sheet against her chest. She could feel him fidgeting awkwardly behind her, but she didn't dare look over her shoulder, terrified at what she'd see.

After a long moment, she felt his hand rest against her bare shoulder hesitantly, drawing her gaze to his as she glanced over her shoulder, raven hair falling into her face. She searched his expression, his eyes, searching frantically for some sense of him.

And to her utter frustration, she couldn't tell. He was looking at her the same way he always looked at her… adoration, lust, worry, and gratitude masked in confused pain and regret. There was really no way for her to know for sure, not by his eyes.

She tried to tell herself that the difference would be the rest of the emotions within him wouldn't be present. It would just be love, adoration, worship… but it didn't dissuade her, didn't assuage her state of turmoil.

"Richard…" She began uncertainly, trailing off into silence as she grasped at words, eyes still locked onto his. Finally, with a resigned sigh, Kahlan shook her head from side to side slowly, and braced herself, frowning down at him. "Richard… is that you?"

"Who else would it be?" He questioned instantly, his brow creasing inquisitively. Well that didn't help her at all. She turned back to face forward, huffing out an impatient breath, and gathering the sheet that had pooled in her lap, and twisted her body around to face him.

"Richard, tell me… am I your… mistress?" She asked sternly, struggling slightly over the last word. His innate reaction was masked by his surprise and amusement. His brow shot up challengingly, a mocking grin creeping up to his lips, and his eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Well…" He began in consideration, letting out a breath and shaking his head to himself. "I'm not sure what you mean. But, I don't see why you-"

"Richard." Kahlan cut him off solemnly, the look in her eyes chasing away his amusement, replacing it with worry and regret over his features.

"Kahlan, I'm pretty sure I'm still me." He told her seriously, his hand reaching out to try to comfort her, before apparently thinking better of it, and letting it fall to his side.

"Pretty sure… You're not fully positive? Do you feel compelled to get on your knees before me?"

"I don't feel compelled to do so, no." He retorted, sounding strongly as if he were indulging her in some amusing yet unfounded charade. Kahlan's eyes seared through him, her mind racing in consideration, observing him, searching, deciding… before she finally exhaled a breath heavy with relief, and felt her body sag slightly, resisting the urge to fall back into the bed.

"What did you do?" She asked next, regretting the tone of her voice immediately as she realized how accusing it sounded. Richard glanced around them severely, turning back to her.

"You don't remember anything, either?" He questioned quietly, already knowing the answer and not bothering to wait for her silent nod of assent to let his mind wander from focus, racking through memory to pinpoint where exactly it left off.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"Going to sleep in the forest with you and Zedd… then waking up here."

"Same here, nothing but emptiness in the space between… what could have happened that would have brought us here, caused us to end up here like this, with no memory at all of any of it?"

"I have no idea." She retorted thoughtfully, her gaze clouding over in thought as she stared off into a void, clutching the sheet to her chest, and sitting across from him with her legs folded under her as he leaned his back against the wall at the head of the bed. She was drawn from her thoughts at the feel of his eyes on her, intensity burning her cheeks crimson and pulling her gaze back to his. Clearing her throat to get past the thickness in it, Kahlan averted her gaze, licking her lips and searching the room with her eyes.

"_Where_ are my clothes?" She muttered under her breath, earning a husky chuckle from her companion. She didn't bother turning back to him. She already knew the look in his eyes. She didn't have to see it. Not now. Especially not without her clothes…

…


	2. Confusion: Part 2

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 1_

_Confusion: Part 2_

…

The tension between them was palpable. Kahlan stood by the fire in the empty cottage, her head ducked down, raven hair curtaining her features as she laced up the bustier of her white confessor's dress. It had been a stroke of luck that their belongings had simply been strewn about the cottage carelessly, and not ruined or stolen. An even greater miracle was that the Sword of Truth had been there as well, along with her set of daggers. Though their packs were missing, they seemed to have held onto only what had been on their possessions at the time they fell into whatever it was that had occurred.

She ignored the feel of his eyes on her as she finished lacing her dress, her movements slow and cautious instead of her hands usual graceful quickness. He closed the distance between them, and drew her head up with a hand resting at the small of her back. At his touch, a wave of dizziness clouded over her eyes and she wavered on her feet for a moment, hand whipping out to steady herself by the mantel beside her.

…

…

_The cool jagged surface of the forest floor underneath her piqued alertness and prevented relaxation as Kahlan's eyes shot open, taking in the starry night sky with its bruised coloring and windy trees. The sounds of the night were drowned out by a thick static buzzing in her ears, making her head pound. _

_She blinked a few times, struggling to push away whatever ailment had just swept over her while her surroundings grew farther and farther from her focus. _

_The cackle of the small fire centering them, Richard asleep not far from her, Zeddicus emerging from the thicket, the sounds of the stream nearby… everything clouded over and her consciousness was reduced to hazy static before something cold and abrasive overtook her, invading her senses._

…

…

"Kahlan… Kahlan, are you alright?" Richard's voice pulled her back into reality, and she turned to face him, her clouded eyes clearing as her sight raked over his worried features. She took a breath, adjusting to the new environment, and let her gaze drop down to his hand, resting on her hip. He noticed her attention, and immediately dropped the arm to his side.

When she looked back up at him, her brow furrowed, and her vision swarmed in and out again, a bright light shattering her surroundings and shifting them to something entirely different, once again.

…

…

"_Kahlan," Richard choked out as her grip on his throat tightened, cutting of his air supply. Eyes overtaken with blood red shades, and will somehow out of her reach as she lifted him off the ground easily, holding him out at arm's length as her vacant eyes burned into him, her head cocked to the side slightly. Wild and uncontrollable energy swirling inside her…_

…

_Enchantments were out of her reach, she knew this, yet the inexplicable azure crackle of charged static emanating from her hands as she stood over the Seeker, lying unconscious on the ground at her feet, proved otherwise. _

…

_Lilliana… the name… she knew the name. It rolled off her tongue with ease, as if she'd been uttering it her entire life, yet she couldn't explain how she knew it. There was something missing from the equation, something just out of her reach. _

_As if an obscuring spell had been cast over her mind, she simply could not break the barrier to the unexplainable knowledge. It was on the tip of her tongue, and yet…_

…

"_Richard, watch out!" She yelled out suddenly, her newly heightened senses becoming aware of the enemies approaching from the forest thicket before him, sending him tumbling to the ground with her, narrowly missing several arrows, and rolled down the incline, unable to stop their descent. _

…

_Her hand snaked out, snatching his wrist, and tugging him forward with her, over the cliff. They fell through air, a mere instant shifting through slow motion from the energy she expelled instinctually, moments before they broke surface of the water. _

_As he moved towards the surface, the need for air overriding everything else, she caught him quickly, pulling him further down with her. And they swam through the dark waters until they passed through the tumbling waterfall, surfacing on the other side, protected by the overhanging cavern. _

_They broke surface, gasping for breath and choking out laughter, their feet swaying through the heavy current to keep them afloat. _

_She closed the distance between them, and he met her fluidly, wrapping her leg around his waist and hoisting herself up, the water falling down over them, making their vision blurry as she slammed her lips against his, her hands gripping the nape of his neck, the side of his face. _

_And they danced like that all the way to the edge of the dip, reaching the rock and dragging each other out of the water. _

…

…

"I don't understand…" Kahlan muttered to herself as she resurfaced, shaking her head and frowning. "It doesn't make sense." It was as if she were falling into a three dimensional picture show, with sensory additives, but only receiving pieces of the story. She has a few lost pieces, but she's missing the puzzle itself.

"_Kahlan_…" She was brought back to attention as Richard's hand cupped her chin, turning her face up to meet his gaze. "What is it?" He asked. His brow furrowed curiously, concern in his eyes. She took a step back, pulling out of his touch.

It seemed to assail her whenever he touched her.

And gathered her thoughts rationally before attempting to explain to him what had just happened to her. She described the sensations and images as well as she could, though she was afraid it still came together as nothing more than a chaotic swirl of out-of-sequence memories. And nothing she said jogged any sort of reminiscence for him.

"Do you think it was possessions, like before?" He wondered aloud, leaning against the wooden table near them. Kahlan considered it for a moment, standing before him with her hands clasped in front of her stiffly, the cackling light of the fire soaking her. The faint tinge of bruised flesh around her wrists caught his eye, and it took great effort to push aside the strong emotions the sight triggered within him. He couldn't possibly grasp the idea of ever doing that to her, especially since he knew her sensitivity to binding her wrists.

"I don't believe so." She spoke finally, dismissing the possibility. "If we had been possessed by spirits, we would have been aware of it, as we were with Kieran and Viviane." She told him surely. "Though it does seem eerily similar, doesn't it?" She commented quietly, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her lip.

"Where do you think we are?" He asked, gesturing to one of the windows near the door. The darkness around them was alight by the full moon and the star scattered sky. Kahlan was familiarized with all of the Midlands, but there would be no way for her to tell what vicinity they were in… not until daybreak at least, when she could properly examine their surroundings.

Normally she wouldn't mind waiting out the night, but she was worried about the owner of the strange cottage returning to find them there. With no inkling as to what had happened that led them to this place, she was not excited to find out what exactly drew them to this place, and what they did, _if anything_, to the residence's owners.

"I'm not sure. I do know though that we are nowhere near The Black Hills. I just hope Zedd is still there, where we can find him."

"That's another thing. Should we be worried about him? If nothing happened to him, why would he let us simply run off like that?" Kahlan bit the inside of her lip, remaining silent as she considered his words carefully. Though he did make an excellent point, for some reason she sensed that Zeddicus was not harmed, or involved in whatever happened to them.

"It's possible we simply snuck off before he noticed. I really don't think we did anything to him." She assured him, stepping closer to stand beside where he leaned against the table, placing a hand on his arm comfortingly. He didn't look convinced. "I'm sure he is fine, Richard."

"Let's hope so." He retorted darkly, moments before pushing away from the table and moving towards the door.

"Just wait a moment, Richard." Kahlan called out, stopping him from leaving. "Maybe there is something here that might give us some answers." She suggested, glancing around the room. They met gazes for a moment in silent agreement before breaking apart and moving around the room, searching through the cluttered mess, looking for anything of use to them.

…

Kahlan crouched before a large oak chest, shoved in the corner by the bed. The wood was rotted, the leather bindings wrapped around it were worn, and the lock keeping it closed was rusted to the point of rickety. She smoothed her hand over it in examination before reaching for her thigh holster, sliding out one of her daggers, and flipping it till she had the hilt aimed. She used it to break open the lock, and lifted the lid of the chest.

"Richard…" She whispered softly, her eyes widening as she registered the contents of the chest. It was packed full of weapons, every piece an antique, yet kept restored perfectly. It was surprising how well taken care of the contents of the chest were when the chest itself was growing decrepit.

Richard sidled up behind her, bending down with her, and exhaled an awe-struck breath as he took in the collection, picking up pieces here and there, and examining them. Kahlan rested her hand on the chest's edge, turning to watch him inspect them.

"Impressive arsenal…" He muttered to her, handling an old scythe, the blade kept pristine. Kahlan's brow rose as she nodded in agreement, turning back to the chest. Richard set the scythe back in the chest, and laid his hand over hers, a sudden charge shocking them both where they touched…

…

...

"_Kahlan, what's going on?" Richard questioned suspiciously, and regarded her warily as the Confessor circled him. Standing at the edge of their camp, she paused behind him, dragging a finger down the curve of his neck tauntingly, along the line of his shoulder. He turned his head, looking over his shoulder at her. Besides the obvious, uncharacteristic behavior, there was something in her eyes that put him off, something that felt wrong within her. _

"_Where's Zedd?"_

"_Gone," She retorted curtly, moving to stand in front of him, stepping into him and letting her hand glide down his chest. At Richard's worried reaction, she smiled soothingly, letting out a deep laugh, and shook her head at him before adding, "-for a walk. Don't be so suspicious, Richard." And with that, she took another step towards him, pressing herself against him and brushing her hand lightly up his side, twisting her fingers in his sandy bronzed hair. _

_Richard's brow tugged into a frown as she bit the corner of her lip, tilting her head as she teased him. He zeroed in on her eyes, the warmth usually there missing from the ice blue orbs, replaced by a new sense of desire, something dark and more sinister than anything he'd seen from Kahlan before. _

_Her brow creased for a moment, as if she were reading his mind, or most likely just his eyes, and smoothed her hand around him, gripping the nape of his neck, and pulled him down to her. Their breath mingled as she drew close, keeping just enough distance to not touch. _

"_What's wrong with you?" He asked, not yet removing himself from her grasp or attempting to move back, but not closing the distance either. His hands fell reflexively to her waist, and her eyes searched his face for a long moment in consideration before she took a breath to speak._

"_Wrong? I'm not sure what you mean." She spoke softly, her other hand sliding slowly up his chest, fisting in the material of his navy shirt. Just as she was about to duck up and capture his lips, he pulled back, and she let her hand drop from his neck. _

_She sighed with frustration, glaring at him as if he was purposely trying to irritate her. "Maybe I just had a change of heart…" She tempted idly, arching a brow at him in challenge. _

_Richard shook his head in denial, not believing her. "You're not Kahlan." He said sternly, so sure of the conclusion he reached, yet hesitant to consider just what it meant. _

_She took a pointed step back, putting a little space between them, and turned her head away from him, maneuvering her hair to block her features from him._

"_You're wrong." She said suddenly, her voice dark and dangerous, a tone he'd only heard from Kahlan once before. Her head snapped up, tossing her hair over her shoulder with the movement and revealing bloodshot eyes, steadily darkening as she gazed upon him. _

"_I am Kahlan." _

…

…

"Alright, here is where we were the last we remember." Richard said while pressing a finger to a point on the map. He was hunched over the newly cleared table, where the worn map was spread out over. Kahlan leaned over his shoulder, her eyes searching, following different paths and routes that might possibly accommodate the pieces she'd remembered and give them a general direction to focus on.

She moved her arm around his shoulder, letting her fingertip lightly trace a winding path through various sectors, passing through Raven Falls, which seemed likely it was the waterfalls they fell over, and through a few villages before stopping at a wide space of greenery and marsh land. There was a small, wide-spread village cut out deep within the greenery.

"I'm almost sure we might be here… Crowe,"

"What makes you say that?" He questioned, turning to look over his shoulder at her. She cracked a wry smile for him, her eyes warm and glittering in the firelight.

"Call it intuition." She retorted simply with a slight slant of her shoulder. Richard watched her closely for a moment in deep consideration, before shaking it off and returning her smile.

"Alright, I trust you." They both knew that was an understatement. But after all the times she'd led him, he wasn't about to question her now. The moment stretched into something familiar, and her hand resting on his shoulder started to sear through his clothing, burning up his skin, but he couldn't tear away from her eyes.

Before the energy between them could intensify any more, the door to the cottage burst open suddenly. And the energy seemed to shift into something dark and terrifying, a silent echo of familiar thunder rolling through the air around them, charging it with dangerous ions. The Seeker and his Confessor spun around in unison, facing the newcomer in defensive stances, prepared for violence.


	3. Confusion: Part 3

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 2_

_Confusion: Part 3_

…

Thunder cracked through the sky, nature's doing. The flash of lightening went unnoticed as Kahlan's hand encircled his wrist, yanking him forward to meet her blade at his throat, holding him there precariously in warning. The man in the doorway met her eyes steadily, unflinchingly, and immediately dropped to his knees before her, his head turned up to stare into Kahlan's eyes.

At his submission, Kahlan withdrew her dagger, slipping it away as she regarded him warily. It took her a moment, most likely due to her already disoriented state, to recognize the reverence in his eyes. Tall, with thick black hair, and almost russet skin, the young man was dressed darkly, scruff growing along his jaw. His eyes were an unnatural shade of golden, to which she'd only ever seen in Seers.

"Kahlan…?" Richard's voice brought her out of her thoughts, and she turned to glance over her shoulder at him while he closed the distance between them, standing at her side and eyeing the stranger distrustfully.

"He's confessed." She murmured breathily, her brow creasing as she spoke. If she had confessed this man during their Dark Period, what else had she done?

"Obviously," Richard retorted darkly, placing a hand hesitantly on her arm, reminding her that she still held the man in a restraining grasp. Kahlan released him, gesturing for him to get up off his knees, which he immediately acquiesced to.

"What is your name?" Richard asked him. The man turned his stare to Kahlan, silently asking her permission. She nodded in assent, allowing him to answer Richard.

"Asher." He said curtly, turning back to Kahlan again with an apologetic expression. "I am sorry, My Lady. I know you asked me not to return until sunup, but you wished me to alert you if I noticed anything unsettling within the village. The girl you were searching for, she arrived just a few hours ago, staying at the Inn above the local Tavern." When Asher finished his explanation, he took a step back, closed the open door securely, and leaned against it, his eyes pinned devotedly to Kahlan. Her attention shifted to Richard as the two exchanged quizzical glances.

"Asher," Kahlan began politely. "This girl I was looking for, did I tell you her name?"

"No, Mistress. You simply warned me to keep an eye out for another woman in white, a very young one, with golden hair down to her waist and a bleeding jasmine around her neck." Kahlan frowned at this, racking her memory to recall a young sister-confessor who wore a bleeding jasmine…

"Who is that?" Richard asked her. She shook her head in response, eyes still drifting off thoughtfully.

"She doesn't sound familiar. I have no idea why I might have been looking for her."

"So it has happened already." Asher added, his eyes widening in realization. He regarded her in a new light as apprehension overtook him, simply confusing Kahlan even more. She frowned over at him in question, prompting him to elaborate. "You warned me this might happen, that you might suffer memory loss, Mistress. I didn't expect it to happen so soon, though. I'm sorry."

"Why should you apologize? There was nothing you could have done about it, right?" Richard questioned suspiciously. Asher's eyes dragged away from Kahlan reluctantly, regarding Richard with a look of disdain the other man didn't understand. He shook his head with vehemence, his eyes returning to Kahlan almost immediately.

"I would have done something if I could, but the Confessor assured me there was nothing to be done… nothing I could do for her." Kahlan nodded silently, only half paying attention to their exchange as she sifted through her inner archives, striving for any sort of thread that might possibly explain what had happened to them. Among various possibilities, she tended to lean towards possession. From the few flashes she received, it felt to her as if she'd been overtaken by a spirit, though there was something strange about it, something she couldn't understand, something that had her doubting what she knew about possessions.

This mystery was definitely one she'd need to solve. But with every step she took the question marks simply kept piling up, and the answers seemed to drift further away from her grasp. Kahlan moved around them, taking a seat at the table by the fire, leaning her chin in her hand and staring off into space as she catalogued her questions.

_What exactly happened to her: was it possession, magic, or something un-thought of?_

_What did she do to Richard, and will it have lasting affects? _

_And most importantly: what sort of trouble did they cause during their Dark Period, and what sort of consequences will they have to burden because of it? _

She was also extremely curious as to how Richard was not confessed by her, because from the way they'd woken up from the Dark Period, it seemed obvious what had happened and what should have occurred because of it.

"I thought all that was left of Confessors were the ones we met in the forest while rescuing your sister." Richard said quietly, taking the seat beside her and leaning his elbows on the table, wanting a discussion with her to remain private. Asher remained in his place against the door, but his eyes lingered over Kahlan in a way that made Richard's skin crawl. No matter how many times it happened, he didn't believe he would ever grow comfortable with the affect of her Confessor's touch.

"That is what the last Mother Confessor believed." She replied in a soft voice, lifting her gaze from the fire to look into his eyes. "But who knows how many are truly out there. Rogues who've escaped Darken Rahl's quads, some who had already gone too deep into hiding to ever be tracked, by Rahl or by the Mother Confessor. And some that the Sisters of Light weren't aware existed. There is no way to know for sure." She ended on a revered note, sighing despondently. It hurt her to imagine the wide-spread affect of her sisters scattering to avoid assassination and imprisonment. Richard watched her with wide eyes, sympathy and awe in his expression.

"I had no idea…" He breathed out softly. "I thought Confessors were such a rarity that there would only be a select few, and with Darken Rahl wiping them out…" He left the rest unsaid.

"We _are_ a rarity… nowadays anyway. But I have a hard time believing that there are only five Confessors left in the world, myself included. It seems unlikely." She told him, pausing a moment before releasing a tired sigh. "Or maybe it's just hope that makes me think otherwise." The sadness in her eyes made him want to reach out for her again, but when he moved to do so, her gaze snapped up to Asher, waiting patiently for her instruction.

"Take us to this Confessor." She ordered him, earning a curt nod of assent from the man. She stood up from the table suddenly, and Richard scrambled to follow. By the time he reached her side again, she had already passed Asher out the door of the cottage. The bruised horizon of lightening sky was visible over the Greenland's hills. Dawn was approaching at a slow but steady pace as they trekked through the grass planes. Asher kept a few paces ahead of Kahlan. Richard kept at her side as they let the man lead them towards the forest line in the distance.

"If we have any hope of figuring out what happened to us, we should start with this girl." Kahlan spoke, knowing it was unnecessary, but not wanting to stay in silence at the moment. "Maybe she knows why I was looking for her."

"It could be dangerous."

"That's likely." She retorted without missing a beat, brushing her hair back from her face as they trekked. "But _it_ _is_ our only lead." She commented lightly, sending him a sidelong glance and a small smile. They made it another mile through the woods before the silence was broken.

"Why do you think you confessed him?" Richard wondered aloud, nodding towards Asher up ahead of them. The man continuously looked back at her, making sure she was alright as he led them through the thicket.

Kahlan shook her head, suppressing a grin and keeping her eyes straight ahead when she answered, "Most likely… because we wanted to use his cottage."

"Oh… right." He replied awkwardly, as though he'd forgotten. His steps faltered a second, and he watched her walk away. She was paces ahead before he finally shook himself out of it and hurried to catch up.

…

…

"Richard!" Kahlan's panicked shout sounded through the forest as she watched with wide, horrified eyes as he was pulled violently away from her, the arms around her preventing her from following after him. She struggled against Asher's restraining grip as he held her back.

"Let me go." She calmed enough to issue him a direct order, so there would be no way he could disobey her, and let out a heavy breath of relief as he immediately—though reluctantly—released her. Kahlan broke into a run, crossing the distance within seconds and leaping down the jagged incline, landing at the bottom of the slide of forest floor. With her head held back, neck straining at the acute angle as she stared skyward.

"Richard." She breathed out in relief as she looked over him, hanging upside down, almost thirty feet above her. The massive Beech tree beside them returning back to its inanimate self after its vine had suddenly come to life, snaked down, snatched Richard's ankle, and dragged him away. He dangled high above, the vine still wrapped in a death-grip around his ankle.

"I'm alright." He yelled down to her reassuringly, irritation: the leading emotion swirling through him. He swung around precariously, unsheathing his sword and trying to raise himself up enough to cut the vine, unsuccessfully. Kahlan watched with worried eyes before her attention was abruptly pulled away with a surprised yelp. Her head snapped down to see her feet being sucked down into the forest's soil.

"Kahlan!" Richard exclaimed in panic as he looked down to see her struggling to get free of the earth's grip, and only serving to be pulled deeper.

"Don't move!" Asher shouted to her, and Kahlan turned her head to see him hurriedly making his way down the incline towards her. He stopped a few feet from her, and she expected him to reach out a hand to pull her out. Instead, he dropped to his knees, basically ignoring her. Just as she was about to command him to help her, he pulled a leather pouch from his pocket, and tipped it over, sprinkling red dust over the breach in soil. The ground seemed to quiver under the dust for a moment before effectively forcing Kahlan from it, spitting her out, sending her tumbling into Asher, who caught her from falling.

After he set her on her feet, he turned his attention to Richard, who had frozen his efforts at cutting the vine in favor of watching their interaction. Glancing back at Kahlan questioningly before he asked, "Shall I set him free, Mistress?"

She nodded with vehemence, and watched as he walked towards the base of the Beech tree. Crouching down beside it, Asher sprinkled more of the red dust over the roots, and quickly backed away from it, returning to Kahlan's side.

The tree quivered violently for a moment before the vine embracing Richard withered, lowering him to the ground. As it withered away, turning from a flush green to decayed brown shading, the vine dropped to the forest floor, unceremoniously depositing Richard, not very gently.

"What was that?!" He exclaimed loudly the second he jumped to his feet, Kahlan rushing to his side in relief. Her hands found themselves on him as her eyes raked over him worriedly, reassuring herself that he was unharmed.

"This is Everly Forest." Asher said simply, as if that explained everything. Richard eyed him incredulously, an expectant look on his face. When Asher didn't elaborate, Kahlan did.

"I thought it was myth." She breathed out in shock.

"What?" Richard asked confusedly, frowning between her and Asher.

"Legend goes that in the old century, two warring wizard's of the 1st order battled it out in Everly Forest, hallowing the ground. And when their power destroyed them both in the battle, the remnants soaked into the soil, enchanting the woods." She explained reverently, pulling him away from the Beech tree and prompting them to trek back up the incline towards the path they had been following.

"No legend about it, Mistress." Asher replied. "Occasionally, when power reminiscent of what had soaked the soil of this earth centuries ago returns to the woods, focal points of energy within it reanimate."

"What were you doing with that dust?" Kahlan questioned suspiciously. She sensed no magic in Asher, and it seemed odd to her that he would come to carry such rare Witch's dust.

"My mother was a powerful Seer. She kept a large supply of it for cases such as these." He answered earnestly. It did not occur to him to lie to her, not while he was under her spell, so irrevocably enchanted by her.

"Is there a better way to your village, one that doesn't involve bloodthirsty greenery?" Richard asked him, earning an amused smirk from Kahlan as they started down the beaten path, once again with Asher in the lead. He shook his head in response, gesturing forward.

"It's not that much farther. I doubt we are in any danger of the woods, that won't happen again." Asher assured them. Richard and Kahlan paused in unison to share a look before they followed him, Richard idly grasping her arm and lifting her over inclines, keeping her steady. She thought it was unnecessary, because she doubted she would stumble… but she didn't mention it.


	4. A Confessor's Trail: Part 1

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 3_

_A Confessor's Trail: Part 1_

…

"Wait here." Asher told them, walking away, leaving Richard and Kahlan standing outside the gates to the decent-sized village of Crowe.

"Where's he going?" Richard leaned in to ask her quietly as they both kept their eyes on Asher's back, until he disappeared around the corner of a small hut, heading towards Main Street.

"He's checking the town for D'Harans." Kahlan told him surely, milling absently around the open gates.

"And how do you know that?" She turned to look over her shoulder at him when he asked, sending him a knowing smile.

"I know how he thinks." She said lightly, arching a brow before adding, "They all think the same." Her voice dropped and the smile faded from her lips as she turned away from him, staring off into the distance. It bothered her _so_ much, more than usual. She'd virtually taken away the man's life, and for absolutely nothing. The ones in battle, the ones she would have had to kill anyway, she felt no remorse over… but this was different. It was another thing that made her suspect she'd been possessed. Kahlan would normally never confess an innocent man for selfish reasons. It just wasn't in her nature.

A ruckus sounded and a man's gruff shout drew her attention. She spun around to see a horde of men on horseback stampeding through the gates, and a second later she realized she was directly in their path. Before she could dodge the oncoming trample arms wrapped around her, shoving her to the side. They stumbled, and would have hit the ground had there not been a wall there for them to slam into. Kahlan's back slammed into the wall with a solid _thud_, and Richard stumbled into her, knocking the wind out of her.

"You should be more careful of where you're standing." He told her breathlessly, chuckling in between panting breaths. She smiled cockily, blowing a strand of hair from her face as she looked up at him.

"I would have moved out of the way gracefully had you not tackled me." She countered evenly, laughing with him for a moment. The lightheartedness faded, leaving them in the middle of an intense moment. Kahlan felt a sense of urgency coil low in her body as she realized he was pressed against her, pinning her to the wall. Her hands clung loosely to his forearms while his palms were planted on either side of her neck, his breath mingling with hers.

Their eyes locked, and she realized it had become one of _those_ moments… the ones they had to avoid at all costs. So with a sharp intake of breath, Kahlan broke eye contact, snapping her gaze away from him. Luckily, she caught sight of Asher heading towards them from over his shoulder, and gestured for him to move back. She collected herself mentally before gathering herself physically, pushing off from the wall to straighten herself out once he moved back and stopped pinning her to the wall of the gate.

They avoided each others eyes awkwardly, trying to move on quickly as Asher approached, and gestured for them to follow him inside the village. The threesome trekked tentatively through the winding thatched roads that weaved in between the small buildings, bustling with people. The village reminded Richard of his home of Hartland, and so many of the undistinguishable towns they'd passed through along their journey. The local Tavern was set right beside the centre, the second floor of the building holding a balcony and a hanging sign that signaled Crowe's Wanderer's Inn.

With a stoic guard cast over her, Kahlan entered the tavern, allowing Richard and Asher to follow her if they wished, and stopped a few feet through the doorway. The place was barren but a small boy wiping down tables with a dirty rag. She didn't expect any different, what with it being still early morning.

Kahlan passed the boy by, who didn't even bother her with a glance as she made her way towards the bar, tapping her hand over the bell sitting on its surface to draw the attention of whoever it was that was making noise behind the back entryway, shielded from view by a raggedy curtain. After a still beat, a middle-aged woman came scurrying out from the backroom, followed closely by a bulky man, both had seen better days.

"Excuse me," Kahlan began softly, addressing the timid woman rather than the standoffish man towering behind her. "I'm looking for a friend of mine." She said softly, raising a brow expectantly. After a moment with no reaction from either, she sighed and decided to elaborate. "She should be staying in your Inn upstairs. I would greatly appreciate a-"

"Your sister's not here, _Confessor_." The man interrupted rudely, saying her title with a thinly veiled sneer as his eyes raked over her confessor's dress. The woman winced apologetically towards Kahlan, hunching her shoulders and keeping her back to the man behind her. Kahlan spared him a fierce, warning glance before she directed her gaze to the woman, softening as she leaned closer subtly, placing her hands on the bar-top.

"I really need to find her. Are you sure she isn't here?" She asked softly, her eyes a mixture of imploring and authoritatively persuasive as they burned into the woman. She felt a twinge of remorse for preying on the weakness she saw in her, but brushed it aside.

"She left at daybreak, Confessor." The woman told her. Kahlan pulled back, sighing in frustration. She turned to her side to share a look with Richard before turning back to the couple resolutely.

"Any idea which direction she was headed?" She asked. The woman opened her mouth to reply, but was intercepted by her companion.

"East," He snapped abrasively, glaring down at her. "I'm pretty sure she was headed east, for Marquez, I think." Kahlan's stiff smile matched his, and she cocked her head to the side, eyes sizing him up appraisingly.

"You're sure about that?" She questioned dubiously.

"Most definitely," He replied, sounding surer of himself, and even less convincing to her. She inhaled a steady breath through her nostrils, pursing her lips and nodding slowly at him. Kahlan spared the woman a quick glance in gratitude before turning on her heels and striding out of the tavern, Richard at her heel. She came to a stop as soon as the door to the tavern shut behind them.

"He's lying." She commented monotonously, earning a nod from Richard by her side.

"Don't need to be a Confessor to see that." He retorted wryly, rolling his shoulders and squinting against the suddenly bright sun shining down on them. Asher, who had waited outside, approached from the other side of her once he noticed they had left the tavern.

"No luck?" He asked. Kahlan shook her head in response with a defeated sigh. Richard nudged her lightly and offered a supportive smile. Kahlan marveled at the glint in his eyes. After everything, she was still surprised every time he showed her that innocent lightheartedness in him.

…_If only…_

"I could take you to my aunts. They might be able to track a Confessor." Asher spoke up suddenly, surprising them both. Richard and Kahlan's heads snapped over to him, staring incredulously to which Asher simply shrugged.

"If it would please my Lady…" He added as an afterthought, sounding a bit uncertain.

"Your aunts, where are they?" Richard asked him, a new sense of purpose seeping into them both. Asher turned towards the west, gesturing to an herbal shop down the road. When Kahlan nodded assuredly, Asher took off down the road. Richard and Kahlan shared a hesitant glance before following.

The small shop reeked of tobacco and charred sage. Kahlan held back a cough as they entered, the smoke in the air making her eyes water. She turned to her side to see that Richard was faring no better. Covering their noses with their hands, Asher led them behind the shop's counter, and into a backroom, where three young women congregated around a circular wooden table. The women looked to be in their early twenties, with unnaturally bronze skin, dark twinkling eyes, and teased chocolate hair, all of them. There was no easy way to differentiate them.

"Aunts… my friends need answers. They need to find another woman in white, the one with fair hair and a bleeding jasmine resting over her heart." Asher told the women without preamble, to which all three heads lifted to him in unison. Richard hung back in the doorway, eyes wide with a mixture of amazement, amusement, and distrust. It was Kahlan who stepped deeper into the room, her eyes narrowing as she appraised the Seers.

The one closest to her held up a hand suddenly, pointing her palm at Kahlan and scrunching her face into a disgusted sneer, making the Confessor's foot freeze mid-step, hovering over the wooden plank in the floor. The one that creaked…

"That's darkness; it is. Inside you, there," Seer 1 spoke, still sneering at her. Kahlan looked taken aback, and staggered back a step, distancing herself from the women. At her words, Richard closed the distance between him and Kahlan, eyeing the Seers warily as he rested a hand at the small of Kahlan's back, hovering protectively.

"Don't be foolish, sister. This here is a Confessor." Seer 2 replied lightly, scoffing at her sister and tipping her chair back on two legs.

"No, she's right, sister. The darkness lingers in the air around her, can't you see it?" Seer 3 agreed, her eyes raking intensely over Kahlan, taking in everything from the flowing white confessor's dress to the sleek raven shading of her wavy hair, to the icy blue eyes that held her own. She arched a brow dangerously, her eyes burning into Kahlan's as if she were seeing right _into_ her.

"Potent, it is. She stinks of it." Seer 1 commented bitterly, scrunching her nose in distaste and frowning at Kahlan, who simply stood there, leaning back into Richard helplessly as her eyes darted from one to the other.

"She smells of night-blooming jasmine to me."Asher said sweetly, as if thinking his thoughts aloud with no filter. All three Seers head's snapped to the direction of their nephew, and in unison, all three sighed, clucked their tongues, and shook their heads disparagingly.

"Cause she's got you under her spell, son. Its sulfur she reeks of. Just smells sweet to her slaves." Seer 1 told him sadly, shooting Kahlan a reproachful glare.

"Perhaps the witch could wait outside, then? There is no reason to send away the Seeker because his companion has been tainted." Seer 3 suggested amiably, anxious to end this exchange, but reluctant to reject the Seeker's plea for assistance of any kind. The other two eyed their sister in consideration, all turning to stare at Kahlan and Richard. They nodded their heads in agreement, and Asher moved to escort Kahlan outside with him, but Richard held onto her arm in protestation, glaring at the Seers.

"It's alright, Richard." She told him softly, using her other hand to remove herself from his grasp while squeezing his hand comfortingly. She had no idea why the Seers would say such things, would sense such things within her… but they had been truthful. And that terrified her.

She kept her emotions and thoughts out of her eyes as they locked onto Richard's, communicating silently with him before she backed out of the room, letting Asher usher her outside the shop. Once they were outside on the street, Kahlan turned her face skywards, screwing her eyes shut in an attempt to fight off the brewing turmoil within her and stay focused. Needing a moment to her self, Kahlan turned to Asher, who was watching her intensely, worriedly.

"Asher, I want you to keep Richard safe… with your life if need be." She told him, making it an order so he'd have no choice but to obey. Just because she knew the Seers had been truthful, didn't mean she trusted them with Richard. "Don't leave him alone with your aunts. And under no circumstance are you to allow them to use any kind of magic on him. Do you understand?" She questioned sternly, meeting his earnest gaze. He nodded slowly.

"I understand, Mistress." And with that, he turned around and went back into the shop. Kahlan let out a breath of relief, turning away and leaning her back against the side of the shop, her eyes falling closed tiredly… the Seer's words repeating in her mind… _over and over again_.

…

"My sister will find this Confessor you seek." Seer 2 told him surely, leading Richard over to the table and sitting him down, taking the seat opposite him. "And while she searches, let me tell you a story." She said darkly, leaning her arms on the table and lacing her fingers.

"Let me tell you of an eternal feud of the old century… between the light and the dark, the sun and the moon…"

…

…

"_The Daughters of Light and Dark were two sister-confessors: twins, whose mother died during childbirth, who were raised since birth by the Sisters of the Light. One chose the path of light, wearing a pewter sun around her neck, an amulet that gave her strength and kept her on the path of light."_

"_The second sister, though… fell in love with The Seeker. As her sister, Daughter of the Light, stood by the Seeker's side as his Confessor, the second sister became obsessed with seeking control of her Confessor power, which would allow her to be with her love without jeopardizing his destiny as the Seeker."_

"_In her search, she was overtaken by the Blood-Rage. And instead of banishing it as she was taught by her Mother Confessor, she embraced it, and used it to harness her power." _

"_But when she finally returned from her journey, she found her Seeker dead, his quest completed… She became blinded with rage and despair, and blamed her sister for not protecting him as she should have."_

"_The power of the Blood-Rage grew within her, twisting the sister-Confessor into the Daughter of Darkness, no longer able to contain the power she possessed."_

"_Feeling responsible for the havoc her sister wreaked on the world, the Daughter of Light took it upon her self to vanquish the evil her sister had become. They fought in an epic battle to the death, and the Daughter of Darkness was banished to the underworld." _

"_In reward for her strength and sacrifice, the Daughter of Light was gifted immortality. But she was tricked by the gods, and the truth was kept from her until she embraced her immortality."_

"_It is believed that this gift was instead a curse, a burden placed on the Daughter of Light, making her live forever, so that she may eternally stand guard over her counterpart's restless spirit."_

…

…

"She is said to hide in the shadows, like that of her sister, watching and waiting for the day she is given purpose once again." The Seer's voice faded as the crackle of the fire drew Richard's enraptured gaze to her sister, who hovered over the fire, hands grazing it as she chanted an incantation under her breath. _Locator's spell…_

"Do not blind yourself, Seeker." The Seer before him spoke again, recapturing his attention with her dark, ominous words. Her words crawled under his skin and made him itch with something he couldn't quite grasp. He felt like she was feeding him riddles, and though he felt vague understanding, he couldn't truly understand any of its meaning.

"He will see with his heart, not his mind, sister." The third Seer interrupted brazenly, scoffing at her sister's naivety. "And we know there is nothing to be done about that." The second Seer shot her sister a petulant glare, leaned back in her chair, and folded her arms over her chest in a huff.

"I refuse to take the eternal pessimist's advice, thank you." She bit back through gritted teeth. The first Seer slumped in her spot in the corner, ducking her head down to avoid meddling in her sisters bickering. Suddenly, the fire leapt high in the air, and a puff of green dusty smoke mushroomed around it, making them all choke awkwardly. The third Seer slashed a hand through the air, separating the dust. Richard watched curiously as she peered into the mushroom cloud, apparently seeing something extremely intricate. And then she pulled back, and the smoke evaporated.

…

"I said—I am not interested." Kahlan's voice reached his ears as Richard exited the tiny Seer's shop, her tone sounded strained with irritation. He followed the sound of her voice, and turned the corner, finding her leaning against the side of the shop, glaring at a pair of young men harassing her jovially.

"Kahlan," He called out, making his way towards her. She turned to meet his gaze, and nodded towards the men with a look of aggravation, her lips set in a thin line. He sidled up to her, placing a hand on her arm possessively, and turned to face the pair, who had lost their tauntingly amused air at his approach. "There a problem?" He murmured a thinly veiled promise of violence as he pinned them both with a threatening glare.

They shared a look of consideration before seemingly deciding she wasn't worth the trouble, and turned on their heels without a word. His eyes followed their retreat till the sound of Kahlan's soft laughter drew his attention back to her, his expression immediately softening at the look on her face.

"That was completely unnecessary, you know." She told him lightly, a teasing smile stretching her lips and the twinkle of laughter in her eyes. "You should save your menace for more dangerous foes."

"Don't worry yourself over my menace." He retorted, guiding her towards the street, where Asher was waiting for them at the front of the shop. She shook her head, stifling her laughter as she walked with him, their shoulders bumping occasionally in good heartedness.

"So, do we have a destination?" She asked hopefully, still inwardly struggling to put away the Seer's words. Secretly, he was doing the same, though she was better at guarding her expression then he was.

"She's headed southeast. On her way to Zambia… you know it?" He asked her, having never heard of the place himself. She nodded absently, remembering her one and only visit to the city of Zambia, and wondering what could have drawn their mystery Confessor there.

…


	5. A Confessor's Trail: Part 2

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 4_

_A Confessor's Trail: Part 2  
_

…

Kahlan felt her heart flutter. Her lips parted softly and her breath got heavier. Her fingers flexed, digging into the soft ground beneath her as her body writhed minutely, arching yearningly. Though she was completely unaware of this, Richard wasn't.

He sat by the fire they'd built before sunset, leaning his back against a fallen spruce trunk, arms perched on his knees. He'd tried to sleep, he really had. But the sound of her soft mewls and breathy whimpers kept his heart racing too quick for rest.

So instead, he sat by the fire, and watched her. At first it seemed as if she were dreaming, pleasantly enough, but then her brow creased with strain and her lower lip caught between her teeth, swallowing past the lump in her throat. And now he couldn't tell whether it was a fantasy or a nightmare… possibly a little of both. Or perhaps she was remembering again…

…

…

"_You wouldn't." He told her cockily, earning a sly smile from Kahlan. There was challenge in her eyes and danger in her posture as she stalked him, dagger held low at her side, twirling gracefully between her adroit fingers as she taunted him, a predatory look in her icy blue eyes. _

"_Where's your sword, Seeker?" She teased mercilessly, making his confidence falter a moment as his gaze jumped to the camp they had made before nightfall, where the Sword of Truth lay sheathed, paces away from his reach. Kahlan placed herself casually between him and the camp, forcing him backwards towards the lake as they fell into step, a predator's dance between them. _

_His footing faltered as his weight staggered onto a slippery rock, and she took her opening, twirling with ease, billowing white material shadowing her as she closed the distance between them, swinging down her dagger in a high swipe, to which Richard easily dodged. _

_They danced that way for a long while, attack and evade, sidestep and advance, circling each other as they did so, laughing occasionally as they enjoyed the rush. A steady ache settled inside them both._

…

_The shriek of steel sliding across steel rang in Kahlan's ears, telling her how her companion was faring against the small battalion of D'Haran soldiers they'd stumbled across by blind luck. _

_The swing of her double daggers, combined with the precise force of her kicks made sure Kahlan's attackers were taken out swiftly. Before the last soldier hit his knees, Kahlan had spun towards the remaining forces, all congregating around the Seeker, attacking. A small bend of her knees and sleek launch had Kahlan crossing the distance instantly, landing at the back of a D'Haran soldier, her dagger plunging easily into his shoulder blade, sliding into flesh as of it were butter. Her free hand snaked up, gripping his shoulder, her thumb digging into the knife wound even as she spun around, the dagger sliding across another's throat. She turned swiftly back to the man in her grasp as the other fell limply to soil, blood staining the rich grass. _

_She sidestepped the heavy swing of a broadsword, turning to take out her attacker, only to find Richard had beaten her to it. Quickly, she diverted her attention back to the three soldiers circling her, unease in their eyes even as they got over the slight hesitation, and charged forward. _

_Kahlan landed a high kick to the first one to reach her, slamming her boot into his throat, knocking him away even as her dagger sliced upwards, cutting through flesh of her second opponent. Another swung down, almost landing a blow to her face before she used her forearm to take the blunt force of the blow, shoving him away. _

_She felt her back collide with Richard's as they sized up the soldiers surrounding them. She glanced over her shoulder to meet his gaze, and shared a smirk of anticipation, feeding off the adrenaline coursing through them. As their eyes locked it seemed as if time slowed, and everything fell silent and stilled for a split second. _

_The calm before the storm, as all hell broke loose, and they leapt full force into battle. It's always the quietest before the loudest roll of thunder. The pounding of her heart in her ears and the rush of predatory excitement coursing through her veins was the last thing her senses were aware of before it all shifted again, falling away, replaced with something different, something foreign, and just, if not more, enticing to her. _

…

"_Kahlan," Richard's hoarse voice reached her ears, spurring her on as she writhed against him, clutching at his neck and shoulders as they kissed, their eagerness turning kissing into something closer to devouring. _

_His hands found their place at her waist, gripping her forcefully and hauling her up against him, his back scratching against the jagged tree she'd shoved him into. A quick spin, a sharp intake of breath, and a bitten lip found her pinned to the very same tree, legs twisted around his waist, hips arching into him, fingers digging deeply into the muscle of his shoulders. _

"_Richard." She gasped breathlessly, lurching out of the never-ending kiss, overwhelmed, and desperate for oxygen. Her head fell back, face tilted skyward, and eyes screwed shut as his lips fell to the hollow of her throat and they continued to build friction between them. Her eyes snapped open, the ice melting into an inky darkness that matched the night sky. A strained groan escaped from low in her throat, her eyes closing tightly again and her fingers coiling in the material of his shirt. Her control was slipping, power overwhelming her, and though Kahlan's consciousness knew she'd long past the point she should have ended this, instead of pushing him away, she strained for control, knowing instinctually and relishing in that first initial percussion._

…

_He lowered her to the ground and she dragged him with her, their movements urgent, their dance an overheated frenzy. And as the power within her threatened to spill over, to touch her lover, she stopped fighting, and simply freefell over the edge she was driven to, embracing the power. Her eyes opened, her head tilted back as she bit her lip and kept pace with his rhythm… icy eyes darkening, liquefying, and finally… overtaken by crimson. It belonged to her. It did not exist within her, it existed as her. _

…

"_Kahlan…?"_

_The sun blinded him for the first few moments he opened his eyes the next morning. She sat, perched on her knees before him, hands on her thighs, watching him. Richard groaned, sore, as he pushed up into a sitting position. It took him longer than it usually would have to realize his hands were bound tightly and staked to a tree, above his head. He looked to her for answers, trying to not panic. Kahlan simply sighed sadly, crawled across the dirt, and straddled his lap, resting her hands on his shoulders soothingly. _

"_Do you remember the witch I told you about?" She questioned softly, tilting her head to the side as her eyes searched his. He nodded. Of course he remembered. _

"_She's been tracking us, and she's getting closer. I can't allow her to find me with the Seeker. I'll draw her away, deal with her, and come find you." She told him. It confused him. Suddenly, his certainty was gone, and this entire situation seemed off to him. Her behavior, his behavior… this… _

"_Kahlan," He began, frowning up at her incredulously. "You can't be serious…" _

…

_She left him there, tied to the tree. She wasn't worried. She knew he'd easily get loose. And when he did, he would follow her. But it would give her enough of a head start that she might be able to take care of her sister and keep him uninvolved. The last thing she needed was the Seeker turning against her, and joining Bailey. _

…

…

Kahlan sat at the edge of the embankment, staring thoughtfully up into the pre-dawn sky. Her mind replayed the memories she'd unlocked one by one, slowly archiving them after careful consideration. Every piece she'd collected so far all seemed to add up to one thing. Though she wished to keep denying it, even to herself, for Richard's sake, she had to accept what she was most sure had happened to her.

The soft footfalls of the Seeker approaching her from behind drew Kahlan's attention out of her reverie, her back straightening dutifully, shoulders stiffening. She took a bracing breath as he sat down beside her in the grass.

"You should rest. We have a long way ahead of us." He told her halfheartedly, offering up a sympathetic smile. Kahlan turned to lock on to his gaze, the look in her eyes sobering his expression, furrowing his brow with concern.

"I'm taking you back to Zedd." She told him softly, for a split second wishing she could look away from his dark eyes, wavering in her resolve.

"But what about the Confessor…?" Richard asked, baffled by her sudden deviation. Kahlan shook her head slowly from side to side with a resigned sigh.

"Our quest for answers is not as important as keeping you safe."

"…Safe from what?" He asked, leaning closer till their sides were almost brushing up against each other, his eyes searching her for understanding. Kahlan pulled away from his gaze, working her jaw as she strained to control her emotions.

"Safe from _me_…"

"Kahlan," Richard started to protest, already shaking his head with vehemence. A gingerly placed hand on his arm stopped him from continuing, and she turned back to his eyes, surprised to see the touch of vulnerability in them. They both knew the song and dance, despite the lead up wavering unfamiliarly.

"Something is happening to me, Richard." Kahlan said suddenly, pausing to control the thickness in her voice, her eyes glistening in the moonlight soaking over them. The tall blades of grass around them whistled with the wind, reminding her of the connection between them and the earth beneath them. Living, breathing, magical, life…

"I don't understand."

"Neither do I… which is why we have to find Zedd. I can't trust myself alone with you anymore." Her voice came out harsher than she'd wanted. A tinge of bitterness that did not belong to her, surfaced in her tone. He moved to touch her, wanting to comfort her, but she pulled her arm away. The irrational twinge of hurt in his eyes was ignored by them both.

"Kahlan, that's ridiculous. You're the strongest person I know. You'd never let yourself hurt me."

"I'm not worried about harming you. I'm worried about destroying you." She snapped, turning away in frustration. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself, finding her center of peace within. Richard pulled back, watching her intently. She could see the wheels in his head spinning as he grasped at straws, searching for an angle to persuade her differently. She could see he wouldn't let it go, so she twisted her body to face him, placing a hand on his arm soothingly.

"Whatever is happening to me, I don't understand it. I don't trust myself to protect you… from myself." She said softly, imploring him with her eyes to understand and accept it, just as she had.

"Kahlan," He began in protest. She shook her head to silence him.

"If anything should happen… if I somehow… Richard, I just need to figure out what's happening to me. And I can't worry about that while I'm here with you, not when I'm the only protector you have right now."

"Kahlan stop," He ordered firmly, shaking his head and shifting to kneel before her, taking her arms in his grip. "Did you ever consider that maybe it's me that should be protecting you?"

"Richard-" She started dismissively, closing her eyes to avoid his piercing gaze. She couldn't let him dissuade her.

"No, Kahlan. You're right. The most important thing is to figure out what's happening to you. That's why we need to catch up to this Confessor before we completely lose her trail. There's no time to return to Zedd. And there is no way I'm leaving your side."

"Well…" Kahlan began softly, speaking under her breath, a small, reluctant smile tugging at the corners of her lips, unable to latch onto her resolve when everything about him, his eyes, his words, his certainty, his unshakable stance, made her waver. Against her better judgment, Kahlan released a defeated sigh, looking up into Richard's eyes.

She marveled at how his eyes could be firm and resolute, like a leader's should be, yet concerned and almost… pleading, at the same time. How ever he always managed it, it always seemed to work. She thought it ironic that she kept finding herself powerless against him in this way.

"…Well… I guess that's good then… because I never had any intention of actually leaving _your_ side." She told him, licking her lips and rolling her eyes, trying for a lighter tone as she continued. "Besides, remember how much trouble you got into the last time I left you?" At her half-teasing, half-serious words, Richard subconsciously shivered at the memory of his time with Denna. But it accomplished the task she'd aimed for, because his features relaxed comfortably, no longer terrified of losing her, for any amount of time.

He released her from his grip and sat back on his haunches, grinning slightly. She forced a supportive smile herself, moving to lie back in the grass. He followed her immediately, lying on his back beside her, their bodies aligned as they stared up into the sky and watched the approaching dawn creep closer.

They fell into silence, the at-ease atmosphere a simple façade constructed by them both, as each retreated into the sanctity of their own minds to worry of what was to come. The more she tried to control her thoughts, the more her weary fear grew. Kahlan didn't even notice the way her hand had crept across the grass until she felt the warmth of his palm pressed against hers, fingers entwining, each of them seeking silent reassurance.

"I need you Kahlan." Richard's severe whisper broke the quiet around them, his hand in hers holding tighter, as if to support his claim. "I need you with me. I can't do any of this without you."

"Then it's a good thing you're my life now." She responded assuredly, turning her head to the side to watch him. He kept his conflicted gaze pointed towards the sky, but she didn't need to look into his eyes to feel his struggle. She scooted closer, resting her chin on his shoulder, her unattached hand on his chest. "There is no where I'd rather be."

Her painfully sincere words drew him to her, his eyes yearning to soak her in. She smiled softly, her icy eyes warm and assuring. Without thought, his free hand snaked up, brushing back a stray lock of her lustrous raven hair, tucking it behind her ear. The lovingness of the simple gesture took Kahlan aback, and she told herself to pull away…

Before she could lose the inner struggle within—like she knew she would—the sound of rustling leaves and a snapped twig, sure signs of an un-stealthy approach, drew both of their attention towards the thicket behind them.

They sprung up from their laidback positions in the grass, and spun towards the direction of the sound, eyes searching the darkness for threats. A moment of stillness stretched on, seemingly forever, before a branch bristled, and a four legged beast emerged from the shadows.

* * *

_Do you still want more?_

_Anything to Add?  
_

* * *


	6. A Confessor's Trail: Part 3

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 5_

_A Confessor's Trail: Part 3  
_

…

A moment of stillness stretched on, seemingly forever, before a branch bristled, and a four legged beast emerged from the shadows. Kahlan sucked in a sharp breath, momentarily mesmerized by the beauty of the gray wolf, its silver eyes piercing through her own, unnerving her. She quickly shook out of her admiration, her hand snaking towards the dagger tucked into her boot. Her fingertips only inches away from her weapon as Richard's hand wrapped around her wrist, urgently but gingerly. She glanced up at him inquisitively.

"Just… wait." He whispered distractedly, regarding the creature with an innate curiosity. Kahlan's head slowly turned back to the creature, her fingers itching for the steel of her blade, her heart racing. She watched with anxiousness as it stepped all the way out of the shadows and into the clearing's edge.

"Richard." Kahlan warned as the wolf stalked towards them, its movements gracefully dangerous, its eyes bored into Richard, like it was trying to communicate with the Seeker. Kahlan came to her feet first, pulling Richard up with her, careful not to make any sudden movements. As the wolf closed in on them, Kahlan subtly positioned herself between Richard and the beast, their eyes following it warily. When it was merely feet away, almost at arm's length, it swerved unexpectedly, moving around them and towards the other side of the clearing.

That was when they saw them. More and more emerged from the edge of the clearing. The pack had them surrounded. Kahlan wouldn't have reluctantly stayed in her place passively at Richard's request, but the way their eyes glistened meaningfully in the moonlight told her something strange was going on. If they were truly turning the humans into prey, she knew their eye contact would have been more aggressive, their teeth would have been bared.

And then they suddenly shifted into movement, bypassing the Seeker and his Confessor, following the solitary gray wolf into the trees, headed east. As she watched the last wolf disappear into the forest, Kahlan's tense stance relaxed with a breath of relief… till Richard started moving towards the edge of the clearing. She snatched his arm before he could get more than a foot away from her, drawing his head back to look at her.

"What are you doing?"

"They want us to follow them." He told her surely, turning back to the direction the pack had disappeared to. Kahlan watched him walk away, her mouth hanging open slightly. After a moment she quickly snapped out of it, shaking her head and with a reluctant sigh, scurried to grab the pack Asher had given them before leaving Crowe. Sliding it onto her shoulder, Kahlan glided across the clearing, delving into the shadows of the forest after Richard and the creatures leading them.

…

…

_She moved with liquid grace, weaving through the woods as fast as her feet would take her. She sensed someone on her trail, but she was too focused on not losing the trail she was on to pay attention to whoever was following her. She had no time. The annual blood moon was to rise that night, and if she wished to not lose herself, not return to her sister, she'd need to find her in time. _

_She reached the edge of the forest just as the last rays of sunlight disappeared under the horizon. Stopping at the edge of the tree line, she gazed over the planes of Greenland a mile wide clearing displayed, a small cottage tucked away at the bottom of a large embankment. She leaned against a tree to catch her breath, letting her eyes close for a moment to relish in the feel of the wind caressing her face. _

_It had been so long… and one week was not long enough, not for her. She needed more time. Even with the Seeker's Confessor being part of her, most of her, she still needed more time sharing her. She was not ready to let this go, and Bailey was not going to rip her away. _

_She had allowed herself to get so lost in the moment that she didn't feel his approach closing in until a hand clasped over her mouth, suddenly dragging her away from the clearing and back into the shadows. She was roughly pushed up against a wide Oak tree, the hand over her mouth slipping down to rest on her shoulder, keeping her in place as she was pinned. _

"_Richard." She breathed out, sounding surprised. She really shouldn't have been. Of course he'd catch up to her, she knew that… part of her was counting on it. Or the other her, it wasn't easy to tell…_

"_What did you do to Kahlan?" He demanded harshly, the severe look in his eyes telling her the enchantment had worn off. Without her there triggering it and keeping him occupied, it wouldn't have lasted long. _

"_Richard," She began softly, letting Kahlan rise to the surface. Her hand smoothed over his cheek gingerly, her eyes locking onto his unflinchingly. "I'm sorry I tied you up, Richard. I was just trying to keep you safe." She told him, genuine regret in her voice. She watched his resolve shake slightly, his features softening inexplicably, despite himself. She could see his certainty had been shaken. _

_It was no longer necessary to keep him enchanted… but for the things she needed right now, she couldn't have a righteous Richard by her side. The hand pressed to his cheek slid down lightly, till she was cupping the curve of his neck. Before he could figure out what was happening, her eyes glinted magically, and sparks of amethyst overtook her sapphire orbs. _

_She leaned in close, brushing her lips imperceptibly over his, her breath coming out in a soft icy cloud as she breathed his name reverently, and watched intently as his dark eyes clouded over, his inhibitions slipping away from him at her command. Kahlan cringed inwardly, wavering her resolve at the enchanted look in his eyes, too close to the look a confessed man would have. But it got easier as the spell faded, and his eyes returned to normal, snapping out of his haze. _

_She smiled against his lips as he took her into his arms, their altercation moments before completely forgotten. _

…

…

Kahlan perched overhead, tucked into the curve of a tree branch high above the trail. She waited patiently as the caravan of D'Harans made their way obliviously down the trail, towards her. Dawn was approaching, providing just enough light to see and keep unseen, if one knew what they were doing. Wolves peeked out of the shadows on every side of them, completely surrounding the wagon and horses riding around it.

Kahlan counted at least seven soldiers on horseback, and the driver of the wagon. The young girl kept as their prisoner had her hands bound tightly in front of her as she was dragged behind the wagon cruelly. She couldn't have been more than 15, with dark lustrous locks that brushed her lower back. Her clothes were dirty and torn, but Kahlan could see she was dressed as a gypsy.

Just as the caravan crossed under her hiding place, Kahlan caught sight of Richard, jumping from the brush on the other side of the trail, knocking a soldier off of his horse. Kahlan leapt down from the branch, landing in the front of the wagon. Her dagger sliced through air fluidly, catching the driver's throat. As he fell sideways, limply to the ground, Kahlan grabbed the reins, halting the wagon, just as the girl tripped over the trail and face-planted in the dirt.

Richard was at her side, defending the girl from the soldiers, allowing Kahlan to focus on the two horseback archers circling her. She leapt off the side of the wagon, narrowly missing an arrow to her side, and rolled under the wagon, out the other side, then used her dagger to cut the stirrups of the first archer's horse, turning away as he fell. She focused on the second as he leapt from his horse, charging her. Kahlan sidestepped him easily, spinning to kick the man that had fallen from his horse before he could clamber to his feet.

She felt a sharp blow to her spine as the other planted his boot in her lower back, the impact forcing her to her knees. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, out of the way of her eyes as she rolled onto her back, leaping up to her feet and blocking a blow with her forearm. A frantic scream drew her attention to the others, and she saw Richard taking on three of his attackers, while the last man on horseback rode away with the girl thrown over his saddle.

"RICHARD!" Kahlan yelled to get his attention, making his head snap back into the direction the soldier was disappearing. Swiftly taking care of her last opponent, Kahlan rushed to Richard's side just as he took out one of his attackers. He glanced back at her for assurance. And she nodded hurriedly, latching onto one of the soldiers that had gotten back onto their horse, tugging him down to the ground and clearing the saddle for Richard.

As Richard rode off to save the girl, Kahlan was left behind with the three remaining D'Haran soldiers, which she took care of easily. As the last man fell to his knees, Kahlan moved to get one of the horses, intending to follow after Richard, when a shrill howl sounded from behind her. Kahlan turned just in time to see the pack of wolves lunging forward fanatically, and her second of panic made way for understanding as she caught sight of the woman that had emerged from within the wagon. A Mord'Sith…

Kahlan staggered backwards with wide eyes as the wolves rushed past her, snapping and growling at the Mord'Sith, who regarded them with a disgusted sneer. The leader of the pack, the gray wolf that had first approached them, appeared from above. Standing on the roof of the wagon, he lunged instantly down towards the Mord'Sith.

She spun around, holding up a crimson-gloved hand in the air, snatching the wolf's jaw. A resounding crunch echoed through the forest. The wolf fell limp to the ground, whimpering as it spun on its heels and took off into the forest, the rest of the pack following after it.

"Hello, Confessor." She greeted derisively, sneering at Kahlan even as she approached casually. Kahlan took a cautious step back, spinning her dagger in her grip in preparation, widening her stance defensively. Her heart pounded against her chest uncomfortably, disliking the fear that settled in her at the Mord'Sith's approach. Steeling her, Kahlan's head raised defiantly, her eyes turning dangerous as she joined the Mord'Sith in her stalk, and they circled each other, sizing the other up, searching for weakness.

With a sudden lunge, Kahlan closed the distance between them, attacking forcefully. After a few minutes of useless sparring, neither getting any advantage, they both retreated to their corners, back to circling each other. The Mord'Sith laughed lowly, amused at the impasse they found themselves in. The sound grated against Kahlan's senses, bringing a rush of nostalgia over her, images flashing through her mind. Her steps faltered, her eyes slowly returning to the blonde woman in red in front of her.

"Riana…?" Kahlan exclaimed breathily, her eyes wide and astonished. It had to be her. She knew it was her. Taking advantage of the Confessor's distraction, Riana slid forward, knocking her off her feet with a sideswipe, and brought her agiel down, pressing it to Kahlan's stomach. The silent screeching of the weapon sounded off as Kahlan's scream of agony overtook the woods around them, her body stiffening in torment, writhing jerkily.

"Riana," Kahlan gasped out painfully as the agiel pulled away from her. "Riana, it's me, Kahlan…" The woman looked down at her, frowning slightly as she searched Kahlan's face for understanding.

"Kahlan…?" She murmured, baffled.

"Dennee's sister, remember…? We used to play together as children. We'd always sneak you into the Confessor's Cove to watch the older girls train…" Kahlan told her hurriedly, her chest heaving as she fought to catch her breath and recover, crawling back and holding herself up by her elbows behind her. Riana remained staring down at her; Kahlan sprawled out in the dirt at her feet. Her head shook slowly from side to side, but Kahlan could see the fog of recognition in her eyes, so she kept going. "You were Dennee's best friend. And then you just… disappeared one day. They told us you were dead."

"The girl you knew is dead. I am a Mord'Sith now." The statement was so simple, so obvious. Yet Kahlan couldn't help the bit of disappointment she felt at the flicker of hope in her. Now she was screwed.

With a resigned breath, Kahlan pushed back just as Riana moved to bend down to her again with the agiel. She kicked out with both feet, landing squarely on Riana's chest, shoving her off balance and knocking her to the ground. Kahlan leapt to her feet, sliding the second dagger from it's place tucked into her boot, and threw it across the trail towards Riana, who flung herself back, the blade zinging past her, mere centimeters from plunging into her heart.

The remaining dagger twirled between Kahlan's fingers as she advanced on the other woman, leaping into the air to land a hard kick to her abdomen, sending her staggering back a few feet before regaining her balance. Her hand thrust forward, dagger aimed at Riana's heart, when leather wrapped around her wrist, twisting it unnaturally. Kahlan winced, and a pained yelp escaped her before she controlled the pain, landing a right hook to Riana's jaw, forcing her to release Kahlan's other wrist.

A swift high kick from Kahlan knocked into the Mord'Sith's jaw, and she fell backwards to the ground, buying Kahlan enough time to crouch down and grab the dagger that had fallen to the dirt. She backed up a step, reluctant to stay relentless, and gave Riana the time to get to her feet. Just as the blonde was about to charge Kahlan, the heavy gallops of footfalls reached their ears, as Richard rode up to them on horseback, the young girl holding onto his waist on the back of the horse. He leapt from the saddle, landing on his feet in front of Kahlan with his sword drawn.

Riana stared at the Seeker and Confessor in consideration, retreat winning out over attack in her eyes, and she backed away, towards one of the idle horses farther down the trail. She leapt up to the horse and took off down the trail with a parting, "See you around, Confessor."

Richard watched her disappear into the forest for a long moment before turning back to Kahlan, sheathing his sword and taking her shoulders in his grasp. The girl climbed down from the horse calmly behind them as Richard's worried eyes searched over Kahlan.

"Are you alright?" He asked quietly, his thumb stroking over the blood trickling down the corner of her lip. She sighed deeply, nodding quickly, and stepped out of his grasp, turning towards the girl. She needed to remember to keep her distance from him. She kept forgetting.

"Are you?" She questioned, meeting the girl's hazel eyes. She offered Kahlan a sweet smile and nodded.

"I'm just fine, thanks to you two. I'm Kyra, by the way." She told them lightly, her eyes drifting towards the edge of the trail, where a white wolf was waiting, azure eyes watching them intently. The rest of the pack was long gone.

Kahlan turned back to Richard, both taking their attention off the girl to focus on each other as they spoke of what to do next, whether to take her with them to Zambia, or return her to wherever it was she was taken from, and if they'd have time to do so. By the time they had decided to take her home before following the Confessor to Zambia, they were alone.

"Where did she go?" Richard questioned, baffled as he searched the surrounding forest for her. None of the horses were missing, but the wolf was gone along with Kyra. He turned back to Kahlan with confused eyes, expectantly looking to her to have the answer, to make it make sense to him. She simply shrugged, and shook her head, telling him she was just as confused as he was.

"If she ran off like that, I'm sure she can take care of herself." Kahlan assured him, gathering two of the remaining horses and saddling up. "Let's get going. We should be able to make it to Zambia before dark." She said as Richard followed her lead, saddling up on the second horse. They made their way together down the trail, falling into thoughtful silence.

* * *

_Will they make it to Zambia without trouble?_

_Or are there more hiccups in store for the Seeker and his Confessor on the road to answers? _


	7. Shadows: Part 1

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 6_

_Shadows: Part 1_

The easy echo of whistling wind and dancing forestry soothed her silent cries, a wonderful melody nothing could simulate, the wind bristling through the trees and grass, the distant beat of footfalls from restless wildlife, the song of the birds, and the trickle of a stream over the hills and far away.

Tears along her ivory cheeks glistened under the moonlight, a raven torrent of locks along her shoulders and the pallid white of her dress under moonlight and shadows made her of snow-white imagery as she sat on the hill, looking out over the dipped meadow. The fire crackled over her shoulder, meters away, where Richard rested fast asleep, on the pallet they had formed under the cherry blossom tree.

Her lower lip caught between her teeth as she sniffled, using the back of her hand to wipe away the wetness soaking her cheeks as she felt him stir from behind her, trying to hide any evidence of her emotions as he approached, taking a seat in the grass beside her.

"Kahlan," he spoke softly, his voice somehow avoided disturbing the serene melody of their surroundings, thick with sleep and affection. She tilted her head to the side, eyes raking over him slowly, and she forced her lips to tug into a small, reassuring smile. "Kahlan, what's wrong?"

"I'm fine, Richard. Go back to sleep." She countered, her words abrasive, her voice soft and sweet. She tucked her hair behind one ear, brushing it back over her shoulder as he regarded her carefully. After a moment of his intense gaze observing her imploringly, Kahlan sighed, her shoulders slumping and her arms wrapping around her knees, which were brought up to her chest. "I'm just… scared, I suppose."

"Scared of what?" he questioned. His brow creased and his eyes narrowed as he searched her for something. It didn't make sense to him. Kahlan was the bravest person he'd ever met. What sort of fear would have her crying in the dark on a restless night?

"There is no simple answer to that," she retorted sadly, sighing deeply and slanting her body towards him even as her eyes drifted up to the new moon.

"Kahlan," he spoke again, his tone assured as his hand rested on her shoulder comfortingly, turning her body to face him so he could meet her eyes. "Everything will be fine… I won't let anything happen to you." His heartfelt promise caught her off guard, and her eyes snapped away from the dark sky to stare at him, startled. The proclamation, once comprehended, prompted a bitter laugh to escape her pale lips. She bit the corner of her lip, her face downcast, obsidian waves curtaining her face from him.

"That is exactly the problem," she muttered under her breath. Before she could go on, she found her chin lifted and his lips on hers, an arm snaking around her back, and the other tangled in her tresses. Though unexpected, it began sweet and slow. It was easy to handle, so there was no reason for her to push him away. The thought allowed her hands to snake up to his face, responding to his kiss accordingly.

But it was not long before it intensified, and Kahlan found herself being lowered to the ground, her back colliding smoothly with the soft grassy soil, Richard's weight hovering over her as he followed her movements. As the intensity grew, the heat between them rising, she felt the spark within her trigger, and she exerted most of the energy she had left to keep it at bay.

"Richard." Kahlan gasped imperatively against his lips, trying, albeit halfheartedly, to pull away. It was getting to be too much. Before she could properly end it, she felt the spark ignite suddenly in an explosive way, thunder resonating out of her, seeking the lightening within him. She felt it, too acutely, when the two forces collided, a sharp crackle imploding between them, knocking him backwards down the hill and sending her body into a short convulsion, back arching painfully off the ground, lips parting in a silent scream as her eyes widened, overtaken by crimson power.

_And then she knew it was too late. She had already damned him…_

With a sharp gasp, Kahlan sprung awake with a jolt, her chest heaving desperately, her eyes wide and panicky, darting around her frantically. It wasn't until her gaze found him, lying asleep on the pallet opposite hers, on the other side of the fire, that her heartbeat's erratic rhythm began to calm, the pain of it beating against her ribcage easing. _Just a dream_… she told herself. _Nothing prophetic_… she swore unconvincingly.

A long while passed as Kahlan sat by the flames of the fire, watching Richard sleep as she tried unsuccessfully to dispel the horrid images her dream had summoned from the recesses of her mind, all of her deep-seeded fears and worries presenting themselves in a pretty moving-picture of her mind's creation. Her thoughts lost to the attention of the world around her, Kahlan did not notice immediately when her body shifted into movement, getting to her feet and crossing the camp. She stopped at the foot of his pallet, lowering herself to her knees beside Richard's sleeping form.

With a soft breath, Kahlan ran her fingers gingerly through his hair, brushing a stray strand out of his face. Her fingertips grazed his browline, earning a slight twinge from him in reflexive reaction. A soft smile tugged at her lips, finding a sense of calm wrapping around her. Without thought, Kahlan lowered herself to the ground, tentatively crawling up against him, pulling into him. He rolled to his side, groggily waking at the slight disturbance.

"Kahlan…?" he murmured softly, the sudden worry ebbed away immediately as she pressed her head to his chest, her hands clinging idly to him, her eyes screwing shut, taking soothing breaths. He watched her for a moment, making sure nothing was the matter before his head fell back to the earth, and his eyes closed once again. The arm her head wasn't resting on reached around to rest over her midsection as they fit together smoothly, both falling back to sleep instantly.

They stayed that way all night, undisturbed. Dawn had come and gone, grown into late daylight by the time Richard's eyes fluttered open and his relaxed body tensed into wakefulness. He started to move, pick his head up off the ground, when he realized just how sore he was. A soft groan from beside him brought his attention to the body strewn over him.

"Kahlan," he called softly, rubbing hands up and down her arms to wake her. She shifted over onto her back, and opened her eyes.

"It's later than I thought," she murmured to herself, pushing up to her feet and looking around. "C'mon, we need to get going," she told him, moving quickly to gather up their things and restore the camp, leaving no evidence of their presence.

As they saddled the horses, Richard caught a subtle sound coming from the north. It caught his attention, and wouldn't let go. So, when Kahlan straddled her horse, urging him to hurry, Richard shook his head in refusal, and gestured towards a direction in the forest. On foot, he led her towards the stream they had passed the night before. There, they found a little girl, squatted by the stream, crying into her hands. She couldn't have been more than ten years old, with long, scraggly golden hair. She was a little worse for wear, but otherwise didn't appear to be any kind of swamp rat or wanderer.

"Miss…?" Kahlan called, approaching the girl with hesitancy.

"Oh, thank god!" The girl cried, rushing towards Kahlan, wrapping her arms around her. "Thank god, thank god, you've found me. I knew you would. I told Daddy I wouldn't get lost, but the berries were eaten away by rabbits, and I couldn't find my way home. And then it got dark, and I thought I'd be lost forever. But here you are, Mother Confessor, and the Seeker. You've found me. And now you can get me home. You can, can't you?" she huffed out a rushed breath, prepared to go on, when Kahlan turned back to glance at Richard for confirmation before replying.

"Uh… yes, of course, we'll take you home." This was not good. The last thing they needed was another set back, another distraction to divert them from their course. But what else could they do? They certainly weren't going to leave the young child here alone.

"Do you know the name of your village?" Richard asked her, stepping closer as the girl still refused to let go of Kahlan's waist, which prevented them from moving.

"Yes, of course. I'm not daft," she retorted instantly, a little offended. "I live in Shadows."

"Oh," Kahlan spoke up, recognition on her expression. "That's just below the Lake Hilled Meadows. We can make it there by dusk if we hurry." And with that, they hurried back to the horses, letting the girl ride with Richard.

"What is your name?" he asked her from over his shoulder as they followed Kahlan down the trail.

"Aviva," she said cheerily, holding onto his waist tightly.

"Hello, Aviva. I'm Richard. And that is Kahlan."

"I know your names, of course. Everyone in Shadows does."

Their journey progressed smoothly, with little to no more setbacks until they reached the town of Shadows. It turned out that Aviva was the local Innkeeper's daughter. They rode in just as the sun was setting, and her father, in gratitude, insisted that they stay the night in a room, free of charge. Richard and Kahlan argued for a moment over this, but eventually both gave in and decided it'd be better to just get going towards Zambia in the first light of morning.

_If only either of them had noticed the dark tracer cloud following them since sunup. _

At dawn, Kahlan awoke to find Richard sitting at the windowsill, staring out into the semi-darkness as slivers of light grew across the sky. The knit in his brow told her something was wrong. She sat up in bed, blinking the sleep from her eyes as she watched him. "Richard, what is it?" she asked. He turned to her, and offered up a poor smile she didn't buy for a moment.

"Just a bad feeling, is all." She immediately climbed out of the bed, a worried look on her face as she crossed the room towards him. If Richard had a bad feeling, there would be no nice day to look forward to. That she was absolutely sure of. And just as she reached his side at the window, everything went dark. The approaching horizon skittered away, overwhelmed by the darkness once more. The moon and the sun were both gone, no more stars, no more light. Just darkness…

"Bad feeling, huh?" she quipped dryly as they stared out the open window into the inky blackness around them. They rushed downstairs to find Aviva's family huddled around the fireplace, desperate to keep the flame ablaze. "What is going on?" she asked them, bewildered. They all looked up at the two with identical expressions of fear, hopelessness, and regret.

"The Shadowcaster is back," said little Aviva in an ominous tone that had everyone staring silently. Richard looked to Kahlan for an explanation, and she didn't even need to meet his gaze to know. She felt his gaze on her, and hurried to explain, her eyes wide with abject horror.

"Shadowcaster is a creature that draws power from the _Plane of Shadows_, and uses it to cast darkness over realms. It is immune to poisons and disease, as well as any manmade weapon."

…

"You can't just go charging in there half-cocked!" Kahlan yelled ahead to him as he stalked through the rolling hills, towards the caves of Sorrow. She had to hurry to keep up, gathering her dress in one hand as she struggled up the incline. It was too slippery, and in the dark, she kept stepping unevenly on all sorts of rocks and such.

"What else are we to do? You heard Aviva's family, when the Shadowcaster draws enough power he goes on a killing spree throughout the village, _feeding_ on people. We can't let that happen. It will be a massacre," he ranted, his legs pumping furiously as he increased his pace. Kahlan huffed out a heavy breath and rolled her eyes as she stumbled down the incline, slipping and sliding. "We have to stop him before he gets to powerful."

"Yes, I know. But we need a plan. The sword of truth won't have any affect on a Shadowcaster, no matter how drained he is." She sighed again as he refused to falter, and again—she wished Zedd were with them. He would be able to reason with Richard. In fact, he would be able to banish the Shadowcaster to its own Plane of Shadows without much effort at all.

At that thought, Kahlan felt something strange rise within her, and a tingling sensation erupted along her skin, coursing through her veins, and pumping her heart faster. "Richard…" she called out to him, but her voice was too low, and he was too far away. Suddenly, her body crashed into convulsions, and she fell to her knees. Her hands burned painfully, and she cried out, holding them up to her face to watch as her skin shone a dark amaranthine.

"Kahlan…!" Richard exclaimed, racing to her side as she convulsed, her hands clutching harshly at the ground on her hands and knees.

"Stay back!" she warned, her voice cracking. Her eyes glazed over amethyst and the black veins around her temple turned ethereally visible. A presence, an invader, in her mind—she felt it. Something new, something old, something familiar, she just couldn't grasp how she knew. A bridge was being formed in her mind, reaching out, connecting, linking with another.

"Kahlan, what's happening?" Richard asked, doing as she commanded as he kept his distance, watching her anxiously. She shook her head, unable to answer him as her throat constricted. That darkness, that abyss in her mind, her inner sanctuary, it was no longer empty. There was a long white wall, never ending as far as the eye could see. It went on and on until it disappeared into the darkness of the room. Then there was a door, a door in the wall that could be opened, if only someone would open it.

She pulled back from that inner place, gasping for air as her body was flung backwards into the grass. She yelped as she landed on a jagged rock, jammed into her spine. Her eyes unglazed, and her hands returned to their normal pallor, and Richard was kneeling at her side within seconds, his hands on her, pulling her up, cradling her, checking her for injury. His worried eyes raked over her in a panic as he waited anxiously for an explanation. One she just couldn't give.


	8. Shadows: Part 2

_**Delirium **_

_Chapter 7_

_Shadows: Part 2_

…

"Richard… I'm fine," she assured him for the tenth time as they walked, at a much slower pace, back toward the village. After her little incident, he had finally agreed to slow down and think. He was taking her back to the village, because he wasn't comfortable bringing her into a fight when he had no idea what had just happened to her. It wasn't exactly what she had in mind, but it was better than having him charge in there and get himself into trouble even the Seeker couldn't get out of.

They arrived back in town just as the Innkeeper's family was leaving the Inn, on their way to the town meeting in the square. Little Aviva hung back from her family, waiting for Richard and Kahlan as they walked. Kahlan was favoring her right leg a bit, because she'd twisted it as she convulsed. Her muscles ached and her head was still screaming, but it was manageable enough to conceal behind her Confessor's mask.

"You know," the girl began thoughtfully, her eyes piercing into Kahlan's façade as she observed the Confessor, intrigued. "You look an awful lot like that woman in the forest."

"What woman?" Kahlan questioned suddenly, her pace faltering as she turned the girl to her and met her eyes, curiously. Aviva looked up at her with widely innocent eyes and shrugged her shoulders dramatically.

"The woman that passed through town two nights ago, she was awfully tired. She looked like she'd been through the swamps of hellfire's lane without no water or nothing. In fact, now that I think 'bout it, she mentioned the Seeker and Confessor would take care of the Shadowcaster for us. I thought she was telling tales. No way would our luck be so good as to have the Seeker pass by us, and bother with little things such as Shadowcaster. But here you are." With that said and Aviva's marveling over, the girl scurried away to catch up with her father.

"What was that all about?" Richard asked, bewildered. Kahlan shook her head, lost in thought. She opened her mouth to respond, when something flickered over her sight. She drew in a sharp breath as her mind was once again lost to the dark room within. Only before she fell into another convulsion, she was thrust out again, through the other side of the door. She saw it happening, but she was not aware of it. It flew by so quickly, rushing through the city streets, cloak flowing out around her as she ran for her life, trying to summon her disguise before the troupe of D'Haran soldiers caught up with her. She skittered around a corner, and slammed into a hard chest, sending her stumbling backwards. She looked up to find a villager, young and handsome, standing over her with a concerned expression. With a smile, she came swiftly to her feet, and ushered him inside the house he'd just exited.

Kahlan pulled back with a gasp, her hand clutching at her throat as she blinked away the vision of the eerily familiar woman, and brought herself back to Richard. She found her hand in his, and let it drop as she stepped away, needing space. She was afraid. Of what, she wasn't really sure anymore. After a short rest, and some more provisions, she'd convinced him she was well enough to get back on the road. With that taken care of, they were back on the path towards the Caves of Sorrow.

They rode for over two hours before stopping at a creek for water. He finally broke the silence, unable to stand it any longer. "What is wrong?" he asked worriedly, his tone stressed as he walked alongside her. He tried to get her to look at him, had been trying the whole way, but she just kept her head down, hair curtaining her face as she stalked determinately on.

"Let it go, Richard," she said quietly, shaking her head.

"Kahlan," he called out, grabbing her arm and turning her to him. "Talk to me," he pleaded.

"Something is wrong, Richard, something inside of me. I can feel it churning inside me, and it's only a matter of time before it breaks free. And when that happens, I should be as far away from you as possible."

"No," he argued instantly as she tried halfheartedly to pull her arm out of his grip. He shook his head, refusing to release her, and forced her to look up at him. "Kahlan, no… I need you with me."

"I know," she acquiesced, eyes downcast, expression solemn. "I just," she paused, sighing sadly as she looked back to his dark gaze. "Part of me just wishes more than anything that I was not so in love with you." She closed her eyes tightly as his grip glided up her arms, smoothing back her hair, and holding her face.

"Kahlan," he whispered hopelessly, shaking his head. He waited for her to pull away, and when she didn't, he pulled her into him, wrapping one arm around her waist to hold her against him as the other tangled in her dark locks. His lips crashed down onto hers in a breathy, frantic dance of lips and tongue and hands and bodies. She arched into him, her back stretching taut as her fingers twisted leisurely in his coarse hair, keeping him against her.

When the thunder rolled overhead in the inky sky, Kahlan leapt away from him, violently, clasping a hand over her mouth and turning away. A moment later, rain began to pour down rapidly around them. She slowly turned back to Richard, already drenched to the bone under the tremendous downpour. He was smiling, panting through it, completely out of breath, but smiling at her. A soft laugh escaped her lips despite herself, and Kahlan stepped closer, scrunching her brow and blinking through the wetness as she stepped into him again, and tilted her head up, pressing a feather light kiss to his wet lips. He smiled against her mouth, and she did the same, her hands pressing into his sides as his found her face again.

Another clap of lightning resounded through the hills, and Kahlan pulled away again, this time slower than before, languidly letting her hands drop to her sides. Through the dark rainy night, she sensed a presence closing in on them, and sent Richard a warning look. "Behind you," she warned in a hushed tone. He turned towards the cacophony of galloping hooves, ready for a fight. But as the stranger on horseback moved closer and a crackle of lightning lit up the sky, they both sighed in relief, hurrying towards Zedd.

"Zedd…!" Richard greeted excitedly. "You would not believe what has happened," he called out laughingly as the old wizard pulled up his saddle beside them. Zeddicus shook his head dismissively, a moppet of wet, shaggy gray locks shaking out around him. "No time for that now, boy. I just got word that Darken Rahl has sent a Dragon Quad out after the Mother Confessor. The only thing is that they're headed for Zambia. I believe a Confessor has been mistaken for Kahlan in Zambia. You must go now, and reach her before the D'Harans can get to her first."

"But… we can't leave yet, Zedd. There is a Shadowcaster hiding in the caves of Sorrow," Kahlan said assuredly, her mind racing at the thought of another confessor out there in danger.

"I know. I sensed his magic from miles away. I will deal with the caster. You two must ride on to Zambia. I will catch up with you," he told them sternly, leaving no room for argument in his tone. And with that, Richard and Kahlan straddled their horses and rode off into the darkness, the rain still pounding down onto them, loud and hard. The wind whipped it around them, pricking their faces sharply, causing pain that they were forced to ignore as they rode on. If they continued at their same pace, they would make it to Zambia in a day.

"Do you think that was why she was following us?" Richard asked thoughtfully, crouched down by the stream as he filled their canteens with fresh water. Kahlan was seeing to the horses as he restocked supply, and froze when he spoke. She kept her back to him. Something in her gut said the answer was no, but her logical mind disagreed.

"That must be why she was tracking us, trying to find us so we could help her. If a confessor was in trouble, her first instinct would be to seek out the Mother Confessor. I just can't believe we spent all this time trying to find each other, and we still haven't gotten any closer to meeting."

"Well, we'll reach Zambia soon, and then everything will work out. And we can just go back to Zedd and forget about this whole hellish week," he replied reassuringly, mostly to himself as he crossed towards his obsidian horse. The rain had eased an hour ago, and their clothes were still no closer to drying out, becoming stiff against their skin, limiting movement. Kahlan's sense told her to take a break from riding before they were forced to battle any D'Harans. They needed to dry out the clothes by a fire to prevent them from turning as stiff as starch. But they just didn't have enough time.

"But that still does not explain what happened to us… or to me more precisely. I was the one that placed the enchantment on you, I just don't know why."

"And the fact that we can't remember any of it, is that an effect of the enchantment?" he asked her as she straddled her horse and they got back to the path.

Kahlan shook her head, her brow knitting in concentration. "Depending on the enchantment, that might be explanation enough if it were just you, but it wouldn't have affected my memory as well." Richard sighed at her words, losing any hope for an easy solution as they took off down the path. Just then, their horses skidded to a halt and bucked, forcing their grips to tighten on the reins. A flash of lightning crackled through the sky, and the inkiness receded with high speed, chased away by the emerging sun.

"Obviously Zedd had no trouble banishing the Shadowcaster," Richard mused, flashing a bright smile before they both regained control of their horses. The path zigzagged through the forest, rocky inclines on either side of them that would be the death of any ignorant enough to deviate from the cleared pathway.

"Halt," a commanding voice echoed through the trees, and they pulled their horses up short just as a caravan careened around the curve, led by two Arabian horses. It was driven by a D'Haran soldier, and as soon as the wagon pulled to a stop, a dozen more leapt out from the inside. Another wagon pulled up behind them, and before Richard or Kahlan were even dismounted from their horses, they were completely surrounded. Richard went to unsheathe the sword of truth, just as the leader of the caravan grabbed a fistful of brunette curls, dragging the familiar girl by the hair out of the wagon. He jostled her violently, positioning her in front of him, and bared the hollow of her throat to his blade. "Keep your sword where it is, Seeker, or the girl gets gutted," his gruff voice barked out at Richard, prompting the Seeker's hand to freeze its efforts, and release the sword's hilt.

Kahlan's eyes lit up with recognition through the grim mask of a Confessor. She knew the girl. It was no trap. They had recaptured Kyra—the _Loup-Garoux_ Richard had saved, with the help of the wolves.

Kahlan's expression grew grave as two dozen or so D'Haran soldiers swarmed them, approaching from all sides. And the girl's whimpers were overwhelmed by the cries of battle.


	9. Daughter of Darkness

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 8_

_Daughter of Darkness_

…

Kahlan leapt from the barge of the wagon, landing swiftly in a twirl as she swiped the blade of her dagger across a soldier's throat, cracking the wrist of another as he tried to lay hands on her. She danced away from two blows, and pivoted onto one foot, planting her other in the gut of another, sweeping under to knock him off his feet. She straightened, flipped away from a soaring arrow, and sliced through the ribcage of the first soldier holding the struggling girl. She traded punches with the second, landing a roundhouse kick to his chin, knocking him out, and catching Kyra with one arm as she stumbled into her, shoving her dagger up under the ribcage of another, hitting his heart.

The fury of the dance to which she stepped thrilled her in a dark way, a way she'd never acknowledge. It coursed through her veins like power. It brought shivers to her skin and tremors up her spine as she twirled and twisted and lunged and leapt to the unique beat of the fight, an un-choreographed dance that hung on life and death. Sending Kyra off into the forest with one swift shove, Kahlan twirled around to face the approaching archer. She leapt into the air, gliding down behind an archer aimed at Richard, who was too busy fighting to notice. She twisted her fingers in the archer's hair, slamming his neck backwards, exposing it to her blade.

The fire inside her increased tenfold, churning within and igniting something she did not have time to evaluate. A sharp blow to her kidney had Kahlan hissing as she doubled over, caught herself before she hit the ground, and jammed a foot upwards into the soldier's groin. She was on her feet in seconds to avoid another. She spun around and thrust her body backwards, towards the ground, to avoid a swinging sword. Her legs hurtled into his gut, and her upper body lunged up to grip his lapels, and she dragged him over her head. The dagger went into unprotected flesh like butter, and only showed resistance when it hit bone.

Another gripped a hand full of her hair, as she still knelt above his fallen comrade, and hauled her roughly to her feet, wrapping his other arm around her neck and cutting off her access to oxygen. Kahlan gasped for air, her fingers digging into his flesh as she reached futilely for the dagger that was still stuck in a D'Haran's gut. He ripped her viciously away from the corpse, and she stumbled as he dragged her towards the wagon. Her hands changed direction, gliding up over her head as her thumbs darted towards his eye sockets. The soldier screamed out in agony as she used all the force she had in her muscles to jam her thumbs into his eyes, which made his grip on her slacken. She took advantage of his slip, twisting in his arms, and bringing her knee up to his groin, then her elbow to his shoulder blade as he doubled over.

Kahlan's hand gripped the back of his armor, hauling him up to meet her eyes as her other hand clasped around his throat, silent thunder rolling over the clouds above. Her eyes grew into molten amaranthine as she unleashed her power, forcing it into him. The soldier grew slack, and his eyes turned upwards as he fell to his knees, honoring her with awe and love. Kahlan sagged to the ground, her body worn and exhausted. The soldier caught her, easing her to the ground softly as he drew his sword and prepared to defend her.

Kahlan pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, clambering desperately for her strength as she tried to get to her feet. Another blindsided her with a kick to the head that had her sprawled over the ground again, and she quickly rolled to the side to avoid another blow. Leaping to her feet as she rode the electrifying rush of adrenaline, Kahlan swung left, then right, dancing away from her attackers, and pivoted again, hoisting herself over one as he fell to the ground, only to leap at another. She reached the body she was after, and found her dagger missing, his wound oozing blood, unhindered by the piece of silver steel that belonged to her.

"Confessor," her confessed soldier called out to her, panic and worry in his voice as he fought to reach her, just as she was bombarded by three soldiers simultaneously, with no weapon to defend her. Kahlan backed away as they advanced, stalking her with malicious satisfaction. They knew they had her at an advantage, and they were reveling in it. Her back hit a tree, and her fingers danced along the rough bark, digging into it as her eyes searched for her missing weapon. A soldier prepared to strike, the other two lunging forward as the third's sword rose in the air, ready to strike down on her.

"_Behind you,"_ a familiar voice whispered into her mind. Kahlan spun, dodging the strike of his sword, and turned with wide eyes to see Riana, standing at the edge of the battle. Kahlan's dagger clutched in her hand as it was poised for attack. _"NO!"_ her mind screamed, and Kahlan lunged, just not in time. She twisted as the dagger soared through air, ducking under Richard's sword as it swung towards an archer, and shoved herself against him, twirling them around just as the dagger lodged into her back. Kahlan lurched against him at impact, a gasp of air escaping her lips as she made a strangled sound.

Her hands, clutching at him, went limp as she sank limply towards the ground. Richard's arms wrapped around her, the sword of truth pressed into her back as he lowered them to the ground together. _"Kahlan,"_ she heard him whisper brokenly, seconds before her eyes fluttered closed, and darkness consumed her.

He held her, falling into shock. He couldn't believe it, it wasn't real to him… until her heart stopped, and her body clamped up stiffly. He still held her, even though the remaining D'Harans were circling them advancing and surrounding, preparing to strike again. It wasn't until the sight of Riana hit his vision that he was thrust back into reality, and the sword still clutched violently in one hand shone brightly, in a harsh, angry light. The sword was feeding off the overwhelming rage that was stifling Richard as he held Kahlan's lifeless body in his arms. And then the world turned red, blurred and frayed at the edges, and everything in the middle was just blood on his hands and a dead Kahlan.

It wasn't until Zeddicus arrived, stumbling upon the deranged massacre that Richard came back to himself, in a sense. "Curse the spirits…" The old wizard murmured brokenly to himself as he approached the ruins. His eyes were wide as he took in the evidence of his Seeker's fall from grace, and the loss of his Confessor. The death that surrounded them was something even he could not stand to bear witness to. The only one that had been spared from Richard's slaughter was the Mord'Sith, tied and gagged, bruises coloring her skin. She was unconscious, hanging by her arms from the branch of a birch tree. "Richard."

The Seeker flinched, startled from his catatonic state as he sat on a log, hands on his knees and doubled over, two feet from where Kahlan's body lay. His dark eyes were glazed over and detached as he slowly looked up to where Zedd was standing. "That," he began hazily, "—Confessor…" Richard came to his feet, slowly, detached, in a fog, but determined. "We have to find her."

"Richard?"

"We have to find her," he went on, as if he hadn't heard Zedd's bewildered retort. "And we have to force her to confess the Mord'Sith… make her fix Kahlan." He said the word _fix_ as if the Mother Confessor had simply fallen ill with a cold. There was nothing that couldn't be fixed.

"Richard," Zedd tried again, sighing deeply as he realized what the Seeker intended to do. "This is a tragedy. Kahlan was—"

"She doesn't need a memorial, Zedd," Richard cut him off bitingly, moving closer to kneel beside Kahlan's body. The bloody dagger rested in the soil beside her. "She needs the breath of life." He knelt beside her body, and lifted it into his arms. Placing it in the back of one of the abandoned wagons, he crossed over to Riana, harshly jostling her awake. With a hard expression, Richard unchained the Mord'Sith, nearly ripping her arm out of its socket as he hauled her to her feet and shoved her into the back of the wagon. Tying her to Kahlan's body, wrist to wrist, he paid no heed to the agonizing cries of a heartless murderer.

Zedd watched him, gathering his thoughts carefully before he spoke. "Richard, I understand how hard this is for you, but there is something you don't understand about the Confessor…"

"It doesn't matter," Richard bit back dismissively. "A Confessor is a Confessor, she'll confess Riana, and then have her revive Kahlan."

"But Richard—"

"That's enough, Zedd!" The Seeker snapped coldly, turning away from him with fierce determination. Nothing mattered but reviving Kahlan. She wasn't truly gone, not yet.

* * *

_Should I continue this?_


	10. Daughter of Light

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 9_

_Daughter of Light_

…

The breathtaking caress of the agiel ripped through her, muscles coiling, heart and lungs searing, throat screaming, she was clamped enough to shatter. Bailey pulled away from consciousness, clinging to the darkness that kept evading her. All the years of training, of disciplining her mind, all of it was for nothing as Lepha, the Mord'Sith that stood before, wouldn't let her retreat. There was no sanctuary from this. As hard as she fought for it, there was no ignoring this pain. But pain was nothing new for this Confessor. She'd been through pain before, much worse than this. She'd spent four months in a Mord'Sith tower before the age of 16. She knew how to bite through it, even without her inner sanctuary.

It was not long before she was lost in herself, biting her tongue as they questioned her about the Seeker. There was no way to keep her guise up through the pain. She could keep her pride, she could keep her defiance, but she could not withhold her power. If it hadn't been for her struggle to keep her sister's Condar reigned in, Bailey would not have been captured in the first place. If the Condar were to strengthen any more than it already had, even Bailey would not have been able to control it. And without a teacher, poor Kahlan had no chance of controlling it herself.

She had not always been this way, in this life. No, she had been sculpted into this, stripped of the light she was destine to, and molded into something almost as dark as her counterpart. If her light had not been as strong within her as it had, then she would have been lost to darkness and corruption long ago. Bailey Amnell was not born into this life; she was stolen into it. No, Bailey had been born into another life, a different life, with a loving mother and a twin sister. But because of the wizard Giller and a prophecy revealed to him by the witch woman, Shota, Bailey had been ripped away from her family, passed off as a stillborn, and the bond between sisters had been severed by the wizard's magic. All that was left of her family was the pewter pendant worn around her neck in the sign of a bleeding jasmine.

As she grew, and was taught and trained by the dark wizard, she learned how to use her own magic, which was unlike any other Confessor's power. But as time passed, and the Condar grew stronger within her, that barrier that kept two entwined souls apart grew weaker, and the ties between their minds strengthened.

"I will ask you again, Mother Confessor," Lepha spoke patiently, but the veil over her temper was thin and easily transparent. "Where is your Seeker?" Bailey laughed; a sharp bark of laughter that came out strangled through the pain as she hung from her hands in the Mord'Sith's tower, right outside her hometown of Zambia. She shook her head and choked on the blood rising in her throat. She bit out a cold smile and looked up to see Lepha's infuriated eyes burning into her.

"I do hope Darken Rahl doesn't punish you too harshly when he hears of your failure," Bailey spat at her.

"Failure…?" Lepha taunted with a cruelly amused smile. "I captured the Seeker's precious Confessor. That is quite an accomplishment I'd say. And considering that the Seeker is surely on his way here to rescue you as we speak—"

"Oh, but how you are mistaken," Bailey mused laughingly, spitting out the blood from when she'd bit her tongue. "I'm no Mother Confessor."

"That won't work, Amnell."

"That's the thing," she retorted smoothly, resisting a flinch as Lepha taunted her with the agiel, letting it hover over her heart, mere centimeters from touching her. "My name… is Bailey… not… Kahlan," she choked out as her body recoiled from the screeching agiel, and she fought to keep from falling into shock. The look on Lepha's face was worth the pain to Bailey. The Mord'Sith took a step back, her face steeling over as she tried to judge lie from truth. Bailey laughed, her honey-copper hair falling around her shoulders, matted with sweat and blood. A moment later, Bailey's expression tightened in pain as Lepha shoved the tip of the agiel into her heart, holding it there until Bailey's life force slipped away from her body.

She slipped away from her mortal vessel, not bothering to cling to it as she felt herself drawn towards another. Slipping easily inside her sister, Bailey embraced the connection, and let their spirits mingle. "Behind you," she whispered, brushing her sister's mind as she urged her to turn, to see the danger threatening her charge, and save him. Kahlan moved with grace, soaked in desperation that pushed her to her limits. And just as the dagger slid through flesh, lodging itself into her back, and piercing her heart, Bailey was ripped away, and thrust back into her own body by the breath of life. She awoke with the Condar already surging through her system, its power unleashed and coating the room.

She sprung up from the floor, eyes wide and raw with power as she tore through the oppressive bonds and wrapped her fingers around the Mord'Sith's throat. Lepha's eyes widened in terror and shock as Bailey glowed with the brightness of the sun, the air around her shifting ethereally as her power lashed out, licking over the souls of everyone in the room. "You…!" Lepha choked, the agiel slipping from her fingers and rolling across the floor, allowing Bailey's power to invade, to crawl inside her, slithering its way into her soul and stripping it down to the core. "You're not a confessor," she rasped, her body slackening as Bailey's power took effect. But as her Condar grew, and the light intensified, Bailey's mind split, not for the first time, as another took place inside her body. One soul, two minds, as Rosalyn, Daughter of the Light, resurfaced.

"Wrong, I am a Confessor. I am the Confessor."

"You're not the Mother Confessor," Lepha argued feebly, shaking her head as she trembled, her hands slithering up the crimson leather covering her body to clasp her palms over her heart.

"No, I am much worse."

Lepha was the first to drop to her knees, clutching her heart. The screeching of the two Mord'Sith sisters standing guard by the door reached her ears, and they too dropped to their knees, clutching at themselves as tears soaked their faces. Every soul they ever inflicted pain on was now screaming inside them, all of it pushed back to them as their consciences restored the innocence they once had. Bailey rose to her feet, the essence of her past life overwhelming her mind as Rosalyn took control. She kept going, white eyes and ivory hands as she stripped them all bare, back to the innocence of childhood. The evil tainting their souls was washed away as she confessed them. The memory of their life and what they had done would drive them insane, it would force them to seek redemption by any means possible.

Rosalyn stood before the three Mord'Sith, waiting for their recovery. As they rose to their feet, still clutching their hearts, they all turned broken eyes towards her, basking in the soft glow emanating from her. "If you hope for any chance at redemption for the evils you have committed, you will find my sister, Daughter of the Dark, and you will use your breath of life to revive her." Her voice caressed them, a comfortingly warm sensation that granted them rare moments of relief from their grieving guilt. They nodded with vehemence, tears streaming down their cheeks as they cried out, desperate for her forgiveness. "Go now," she ordered. The three Mord'Sith immediately scrambled to their feet, and rushed to the door, leaving the tower behind as they rushed to find and save her counterpart.

And yet, the Condar still raged inside her, turned inwards when there was no one left to focus on. It ate away at her, cleansing and stripping her soul as it had done so many times before.

In another part of the tower, Azriel Parish sat in his cell, chained by wrist and ankle, as he waited for the screams of the one he loved to return. The turmoil twisted inside him, struggling with indecision. He did not know whether to hope for Bailey's pain to end or for it to continue. For if Bailey's screams had stopped, it for sure meant that the woman he loved was gone, once again replaced by a deeper, more original version of herself, a different version, one Azriel hoped to never see again. If Rosalyn had returned, no good could come out of it.

The screams of the Mord'Sith reached them, echoing through the stone walls of the dungeon. It had been just what Azriel had been expecting, and provided him that split second of distraction he'd hoped for, when the D'Haran guard's head had turned towards the horrendous sound, allowing Azriel that moment of freedom to lunge forward, wrap his chain around the guard's throat, and snap his neck. The guard tumbled lifelessly and fell to the floor at Azriel's feet. The warrior then bent down to grip the set of keys latched to the man's belt loop. Setting himself free of the shackles, Azriel began his race towards the torture room he'd seen the Mord'Sith take his beloved.

Passing through the doorway, Azriel caught sight of the three Mord'Sith's just as they were leaving the tower, zombie-like bodies dressed up in red leather. The only thing that made them still human was the guilt and pain they were now suffering, not that he didn't wholeheartedly believe it was better than they deserved. But the thought of his beautiful beloved being the one that had done this wracked him with so much guilt himself. She had the gentlest heart he had ever known. It was not a heart that should be paired with a power such as hers. It showed that the gods had no compassion as they created her.

He took a hesitant step inside the round room. Sun seeped through the small windows, bathing Bailey in warm light. His heart sank and his eyes grew wary as he moved closer, her eyes white as ghouls, and her hands glowing luminescent. Something about the way she stared into space, her own power overwhelming her, that made her look so hollow. He hated seeing her in this state, and knew that if he could only speak to her, manage to get through to her, it would end, as it had many times before.

"Bailey," his gruff voice called from the doorway, and she turned slowly, eyes receding to their normal emerald as she saw Azriel. He was bloody and bruised, and dirt and grime was crusted onto his bare chest. He rushed towards her, enveloping her with a desperation that exuded him. She tried not to stiffen in his embrace, and let her body relax against him. It was alright now. Or it would be, as soon as she found her sister. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" he asked. She smiled softly at him, stroking her fingers through his hair, and shook her head.

"I am fine, my love. But we must get to Kahlan. I've sent the Mord'Sith after her, but I fear once they stray too far from me they will no longer be able to sense her location." With that, they hurried out of the tower, following the tracks of the Mord'Sith through Zambia, and into the forest. Moments later, a troupe of D'Harans arrived at the Mord'Sith tower expecting to find the Mother Confessor awaiting them.


	11. Legend

_**Delirium**_

_Chapter 10_

_Legend_

…

"Richard, you don't understand!" Zedd shouted, using his wizard's web to halt the wagon's passage across the bridge. He jumped down from his horse, and rushed to the barge. Richard, infuriated by the halt, jumped off of the wagon as he drew his sword, lifting it to Zedd's chest as he regarded the wizard coldly.

"Set it free," he demanded harshly, his hard edge so fine it would shatter at any moment. Zedd took a calm step back, raising his hands in defense to the sword's tip. "Now…"

"Richard, just listen to me. You don't understand. You cannot bring Kahlan to that Confessor, not this way."

"Why?" Richard rasped. The sword's steel tinged with a copper glow as it fed from his anger, his desperation. "I already tried forcing Riana to revive her. She'd rather die than bend to the Seeker's will. This Confessor is Kahlan's only hope. And I will not let her slip through my fingers!"

"Richard, listen to me."

…

…

_The Legend_

"_The Daughters of Light and Dark were two sister-confessors: twins, whose mother died during childbirth, who were raised since birth by the Sisters of the Light. One chose the path of light. The second sister, though… fell in love with the Seeker. As her sister, Daughter of the Light, stood by the Seeker's side as his Confessor, the second sister became obsessed with seeking control of her Confessor power, which would allow her to be with her love without jeopardizing his destiny as the Seeker." _

"_When she returned from her journey, she found her Seeker dead, his quest completed… She became blinded with rage and despair, and blamed her sister for not protecting him as she should have. The power of the Blood-Rage grew within her, twisting the sister-Confessor into the Daughter of Darkness, no longer able to contain the power she possessed." _

"_Feeling responsible for the havoc her sister wreaked on the world, the Daughter of Light took it upon her self to vanquish the evil her sister had become. They fought in an epic battle to the death, and the Daughter of Darkness was banished to the underworld." _

"_In reward for her strength and sacrifice, the Daughter of Light was gifted immortality of the soul. But she was tricked by the gods, and the truth was kept from her until she embraced her immortality. It is believed that this gift was instead a curse, a burden placed on the Daughter of Light, making her live forever, so that she may eternally stand guard over her counterpart's restless spirit." _

…

…

"I've already heard this story!" Richard snapped. The sword's light intensified. Zedd shook his head and held Richard within his web, stilling the Seeker's defiance.

"Only the tale is a lie."

"I don't have time for this!"

"You will listen to me, boy!" Zedd yelled, tightening his magical hold over the Seeker as he fought harder against it. "Rosalyn did not have the heart to banish her sister to the underworld, not truly. Though Rosalyn told the Sisters of the Light the tale you now know, in actuality, she cursed her sister's spirit into the cherished pendant Lilliana always wore, the bleeding jasmine—a gift from her Seeker. Rosalyn removed the pendant from her sister, casting Lilliana's spirit into it, and kept it with her, wearing it over her heart, so that she may never forget. The Sisters of the Light did indeed place a curse on Rosalyn to make sure the Daughter of the Dark never rose again. The curse made sure that Rosalyn's spirit returned to earth again and again in the form of one of her descendants, all gifted with the necessary knowledge of the Daughter of the Light should she ever be needed once more. But there is a prophecy. It is said that Lilliana's spirit was released the moment Rosalyn first met death. And centuries later, when a new Seeker was born, so were the Daughters of Light and Dark. Shota foresaw this and the terrible outcome of it, and sent the wizard Giller to separate the sisters and cast magic over the connection between them so that they may never meet and repeat the cycle over again. Don't you see, boy? You're quest to save Kahlan may just be the thing that destroys her. You cannot bring her to her sister, not like this. They must not be allowed to reestablish their connection. The power would be too great. It would corrupt them both, as it did the first time, centuries ago. Lilliana never forgave her sister for letting the Seeker die. She still clung to revenge, and when they were reborn, Kahlan's spirit refused to let go of Lilliana's rage. So she split herself, two minds, one soul. Lilliana is Kahlan's past self. Rosalyn is Bailey's. If the two should ever meet again, the outcome would be catastrophic."

Richard went still for a long moment, his mind reeling as he grasped at Zedd's words. Finally, the wizard's web fell. Exhausted, Zedd stumbled back from the point of Richard's sword. He sheathed the sword, but his fury was still a raging inferno, still demanding an outlet. He turned to Zedd, his dark eyes steely as he regarded the older man with cold resolve. "I don't care," he said quietly, "as long as I get Kahlan back." He turned back towards the wagon, and caught sight of three Mord'Sith coming down the incline towards them. Immediately he drew his sword and, ignoring Zedd's protest about agiels, Richard rounded the back of the barge to place himself between Kahlan's body, Riana, and the other Mord'Siths. Surely they had come to rescue their captured sister. Like hell, he would let them take her away. She was his only chance at getting Kahlan back. But it occurred to him as they began closing the distance between them that maybe one of the newcomers would be more willing to bend to his threats. Maybe this was a blessing in disguise.

That was the thought that ran through his mind as he swung the sword down towards the first Mord'Sith. She slanted backwards, evading his swipe, and unexpectedly dropping to her knees, hands in the air as she looked up at him with wide-eyed innocence. "Wait, Seeker, please, wait!"

"We've been sent to save your Confessor," one of the Mord'Sith said, standing behind her kneeling sister. Richard did a double-take, holding the sword poised for death as he took a step back, frowning down at her in confusion.

"You're lying," he spat, shaking his head. It made no sense. "Why would you do that?" Unless they were confessed, he thought. Zedd took a step towards him, crossing the bridge onto their end, but keeping a close distance from Richard.

"Richard, they have no agiels…" he mused conspiratorially. Richard noted that he was right, and took a step backwards, moving slowly towards the wagon. He kept his eyes and his sword aimed at the Mord'Sith, all waiting patiently for a reaction. "I'll get her," Zedd offered, stepping towards the wagon as he saw Richard's reluctance to let his guard down.

"No!" he yelled in reflex, stepping between the wagon and Zedd. He was wary, bordering on paranoid, and there was no way he was letting anyone touch her. No way.

"Richard," Zedd tried gingerly, but the Seeker paid him no mind. He simply turned, climbed up into the barge of the wagon, and spliced through the chain binding Kahlan to Riana. The loud clatter awoke the sleeping Mord'Sith, but she was still bound helplessly. He gathered Kahlan in his arms, and slid down from the wagon with her balanced in his arms, the sword still grippe din one hand. He carried her across the bridge, her white dress billowy around them as her arms dangled limply and her head fell back. He eased her to the ground at the Mord'Sith's feet, and she kneeled once again. He kept Kahlan in his arms, the sword clutched dangerously as his eyes watched the Mord'Sith's every minuscule movement.

She doubled over Kahlan's limp form, her thumb brushing Kahlan's chin as she parted her lips and breathed life into her. They all waited with baited breath for it to happen, what they all knew was supposed to happen. A long moment went by with no reaction. And then another, and another, and still there was nothing. The Mord'Sith looked up from Kahlan's lifeless form, her teary eyes meeting Richard's disbelieving ones. "I-I'm sorry… it's not working."

No. He shook his head in denial. No. She was lying. "You're lying. You did something wrong. You're just tricking me," he claimed angrily. She shook her head and moved to back away, but his hand clasped around her wrist, the sword dropping to the ground by Kahlan forgotten. "Try again," he snapped bitingly, his eyes, his voice, and his grip, all deadly. Out of fear, the Mord'Sith dropped back to her knees, and once again bent over Kahlan.

"I'm so sorry," she cried again, when still there was no spark inside the Mother Confessor.

"No," he shook his head, clutching her wrist in a bone-crunching grip as he held Kahlan tighter in his other arm. It couldn't be. It wasn't like his mother. It wasn't. Kahlan had to come back, she had to. He needed her. She couldn't be gone. "Do it again!"

"Richard," Zedd spoke warningly. His eyes were fixed on something up above the hills, passing the bend in the path. "D'Harans," was all he said. And sure enough, Richard's head snapped up towards the tip of the incline, where a troupe of D'Haran soldiers were marching ever nearer. They were still a long way off. He had time. "We must leave."

"No!" he barked, violently yanking the Mord'Sith back to her knees for a third time.

"Maybe I can help," a warm voice spoke from the edge of the path, as a white goddess stepped out of the thicket, gliding towards them. Richard held Kahlan to his chest possessively, releasing the Mord'Sith's wrist as he regarded the newcomer with a mixture of suspicion and desperation. She stopped by Kahlan's feet, and folded her white dress under her as she knelt beside the Mord'Sith, on the other side of Kahlan and Richard. She looked up at him under thick lashes, her soft eyes turning white before his gaze as she reached behind her to undo the clasp of her necklace. She brought the bleeding jasmine out and placed it around Kahlan's neck, her touch leaving a lingering essence of light to the pendant that seemed to spread through Kahlan's core. Her body trembled in Richard's arms and the Seeker lit up as hope flickered through him, overwhelming the all-consuming rage. "Try it now," she said to the Mord'Sith, her voice a soft whisper. The Mord'Sith nodded, and bent over Kahlan one last time as the white goddess clasped her sister's cold hand, the light from it warming Kahlan's frozen body.

"They're getting closer, Richard, hurry!" Zedd urged them, stepping in front of them as a white light emanated from Kahlan and the white goddess, growing stronger and stronger until it was blinding, and forced everyone to turn away from it.

Then, many things happened at once.

Riana leapt from the wagon, her hands still bound, and shouted out towards the oncoming D'Harans. "Those," she screamed, pointing towards the three Mord'Sith. "Traitors! Kill them," she ordered the soldiers. And the D'Harans charged forward.

Bailey held Kahlan's hand tighter as an invisible push tried to thrust her away. She closed her eyes against the light and, shifting her head away from her sister, she shouted out to her confessed Mord'Sith. "Protect yourselves." And they did, leaping to their feet and spinning around to face their attackers head on, biding time for Richard, who still refused to release Kahlan as the light grew so strong it seared through the skin of his hands as he held onto her.

And darkness slithered through her veins, invigorating her soul with life as it reached her core. Her hands glowed amaranthine and her eyes flew open, topaz chased away by obsidian and crimson. She lunged upwards with a violent gasp that seized her entire body. "Kahlan…" Richard cried out, fighting against the light to turn and take her all in. She ripped herself from his grasp, her body convulsing once as she regained control of it. The hand clasped with her sister's burned, light and dark pushing against each other, each creeping up the other's arm like snakes slithering through veins. The light faded, and the burn between them increased as the sounds of battle between the Mord'Sith and the D'Harans became more apparent. Zedd enfolded himself in the fight, aiding the fallen Mord'Sith as they fought for their lives.

Kahlan's eyes turned upwards to meet her sister's. She ripped her hand away, the darkness receding from her palms, as the light from Bailey's dimmed. She turned towards Richard with empty, faraway eyes. "Kahlan…" he tried again, softer this time and more wary. As he reached up to touch her, she flinched away. Her eyes darted from his frozen hand to his eyes.

"Seeker," she nearly growled, lunging forward and smashing her lips against his. Richard was pushed back from his kneeling position, taken aback by her ferocious reaction. The onyx of her eyes did not fade as she attacked him, licking her lips against his as she pressed her body to him and wrapped an arm around his neck, holding him to her. Bailey backed away slowly, her eyes widening as the light grew within her, and Rosalyn returned, triggered by the presence of her counterpart.

Kahlan leaned forward on her haunches, pressing herself further as he was pushed back. She pulled away from his lips to look into his eyes, something strange and unreadable in her expression as she smoothed a hand down his jaw, a crinkle in her brow and a purse in her swollen lips. The blackness of her eyes intensified and a spark lit up inside her, fueled by anger… not love. Her hand fell from his face to the soil beneath them and wrapped itself around the hilt of the forgotten sword. Grasping it tightly, she pulled away from him, and in one sudden movement was on her feet. She turned towards her sister, and swung the sword with expert precision and grace. "Rosalyn," she acknowledge icily. She swung the sword up and twirled as she struck it downwards, but Rosalyn easily danced away from the blow.

"Lilliana," Rosalyn countered warmly, worry in her voice as she avoided her sister's onslaught. The darkness grew inside her. Emanating from her skin, it captured the eye just as her sister's light cast it away. They spun and twirled, moving with liquid grace and white dresses tainted with light and dark and blood and mud as they danced around each other in a vicious cycle. Lilliana lunged, twirled, and sliced through empty space as Rosalyn leapt into the air, sailing backwards to land under a hanging branch. Lilliana stepped forward, ready for another attack, just as the sword was ripped from her hands. She turned to see Zedd catch the Sword of Truth and toss it to Richard just in time to block a soldier's fatal blow. Roaring in frustration, Lilliana turned back to her sister, advancing on her in hand to hand.

The sisters were caught in a double arm lock. Lilliana shoved her heel into Rosalyn's stomach, thrusting her away as her back slammed into a tree trunk. Lilliana spun around, caught a soldier too preoccupied with trying to break Riana's binds to notice her, and snapped the man's neck, pulling a dagger from him in the process. She spun just in time to block another attack from her sister. Rosalyn rammed into her, sweeping her feet out from under her. Lilliana rolled to avoid another blow, and hissed as she pulled away from the light searing through her sister's hands. She leapt to her feet and landed a roundhouse, knocking back, before forcing her to her knees.

Around them was chaos, wizard's fire and the screams of confessed Mord'Sith as they battled the steadily decreasing D'Harans. The clatter of the Sword of Truth matching other steel resounded through the forest as the Seeker fought beside the Mord'Sith. It was all chaos, yet between the two, nothing else existed. "This will ruin everything, Lilliana," Rosalyn said softly, still on her knees as her sister held a dagger to her throat. She looked up, the glow from her hands fading as darkness seeped from Lilliana. She met Lilliana's gaze and found cold eyes filled with rage and despair, but she refused to flinch. She'd made peace with their past long ago. Lilliana never had.

"This is what you deserve," she countered coldly, her eye darkening once again as tendrils of raven hair enlivened and floated around her, getting caught in the energy wave cocooning her.

"Maybe, but then you deserve the same fate, Sister."

"You let him die, and then you killed me!" Lilliana raged, the dagger digging into flesh and drawing blood, she receded slightly as the blood trickled down Rosalyn's chest, tainting her ivory gown. "I would have never hurt you, Sister. No matter how much I despised you. I would have never done what you did to me, killing me, and imprisoning my spirit so that I may never rest…" She stepped closer, looking down on Rosalyn as she seethed in her misery, despair and hurt beginning to overwhelm her rage.

"I cannot ask you for forgiveness. I do not seek it, because I do not deserve it. But know, I thought I was doing what was best for you, for us, and the world. You did not want to live any longer, Lilliana. I did not steal a good life away from you."

"You did!" she snapped violently, pressing the blade into her sister's skin again. "You did when you let him die!"

"But he is not dead, Sister! And neither are we! He is right here beside you, and this is not the same life as before. You have a second chance, Lilliana, to do things right. We both do."

"If—" Lilliana stopped herself, the darkness receding slowly as her eyes became impassioned, steady comprehension and sad acceptance clouding over her eyes. She knew her sister was right. She could embrace the rage and misery, and condemn them all for eternity, or she could seek redemption; she could have her second chance. They all could.

She lowered the blade, and Rosalyn let out a sigh of relief, coming to her feet before her counterpart, as energy intensified within them both. The dagger clattered to the soil as their hands reached up to meet each other's grasps. Their fingers entwined as the light and dark mingled hesitantly. Lilliana attempted to pull away at the first burn that seared through her as the light caressed her skin, but Rosalyn tightened her grip, keeping her with her, in the sphere of energy forming around them. Everything around them came to a screeching halt as the energy melded, surging through them all in a sudden burst. Lilliana and Rosalyn receded, mingling spirits with Kahlan and Bailey, leaving no memory of who they were and what they'd done.

A fresh start, a second chance…

* * *

_Does any one want the Epilogue?_


	12. Parting Ways

_**Delirium**_

_Legend of the Seeker_

_Epilogue_

…

The D'Harans fell to their knees simultaneously, looking to Kahlan and Bailey for guidance, as the Mord'Sith held on to their bound sister, Riana, who was struggling to break free of her binding. Zedd stepped forward, moving like he wanted to stop the Seeker as Richard rushed to Kahlan's side, sheathing the sword and regarding her warily. She turned to him, her eyes back to sapphire as she smiled timidly up at him, trying to be comforting as she regained herself entirely. Her body twisted towards him, and he swept her up in his arms, in a bone-crushing hug. He pressed his face into her shoulder and inhaled, eyes held closed in immense relief. She brushed a hand up his back soothingly, and smiled before her eyes were drawn to a newcomer, hanging back in the shadows. "Who is that?" she asked suddenly, pulling from Richard's grip as he turned to face the man approaching them.

"This is Azriel," Bailey said. Kahlan turned to her with questioning eyes as Azriel reached her side, a hand at the small of her back, an unconscious movement.

"He is your lover," Kahlan concluded easily, her eyes burning into him in confusion. "Is he—is he not confessed?" she questioned, bewildered. Bailey glanced at Azriel uncomfortably before shaking her head. Kahlan's head tilted to the side thoughtfully, as Richard glanced between the two, completely lost. "You…" she began slowly, carefully. "You can control your touch."

"Yes." Bailey nodded.

"But how…?" Richard exclaimed.

"I… am not like other Confessors. My power is slightly different. Instead of unleashing my Confessor's power outwards when I lose control, I can direct it inwards, so no one but myself is affected." Kahlan looked even more intrigued, and her eyes were on her sister, hesitant. She tried to ignore the way Richard subtly deflated at the revelation. Bailey observed her for a long moment, deliberating with herself before she continued. "But it is my pendant that protects Azriel from all magic, including my Confessor's touch. As does yours," she gestured towards the pewter jasmine still around Kahlan's neck. Her fingers darted up to hover over the pendant in reflex. Her lips parted, about to speak. "There are enchantments placed on the pendants. They've lasted for centuries. It will keep you safe, if you keep it with you, wear it whenever your power threatens to overwhelm you, or you wish to control your touch."

"But if you understand, than you can teach me to control the Condar," Kahlan concluded, out of the corner of her eye, she watched as comprehension crossed Richard's features. They both knew what this meant, understanding passed between them in the silence.

"No," Zedd answered for Bailey before she could herself, stepping forward from his place to the side. Richard and Kahlan turned towards him sharply, taken aback by his outburst. Before they could voice their reactions, Bailey nodded in agreement, her eyes wary as she exchanged a meaningful glance with the wizard.

"Zeddicus is right. It would be too dangerous."

"What does that mean?" Richard asked her, a little irritated until Kahlan sent him a sidelong glance and placed a tentative hand on his arm. She could see he was still off balance from everything that had happened.

"It means that I cannot stay with you. I must leave, because we must separate. It is not safe to have Kahlan and me in too close of contact for too long a period at a time. If our connection strengthens any more than it already has, our collective power would be too great, and it would corrupt us. It is safer for everyone if we keep apart as much as possible."

"But you are the only one left that could teach me to control it. If it gets any more out of hand I won't be able to stay as the Seeker's Confessor," Kahlan countered in defense, not willing to let go of her chance so easily. Zedd inched closer, shaking his head. His anxiousness at the two being there together was painfully obvious.

Bailey offered a comfortingly indulgent smile, not in the least bit bothered. "I understand your fear, Kahlan. But trust me, it would be far worse should I try to teach you. There is someone else I know of, though. I will be sure to have him find you."

"Him?" Kahlan repeated, astounded and wary. There was no possible way a man could help her control the Condar.

"Am I correct in assuming you are referring to a _male_ Confessor?" Zedd asked her carefully, his eyes widened in disbelief. Bailey nodded, and Azriel inched a little closer to her, again, an unconscious act that Kahlan noticed immediately.

"_You?_" she exclaimed. Worry erupted in Azriel's eyes as they darted from the Seeker to the wizard. Obviously he knew that male Confessors were supposed to be put to death at infancy.

"He has not been corrupted by his power?" Zedd asked her, and Bailey instantly looked affronted. She placed a comforting hand on Azriel's chest, and frowned at Zedd.

"Azriel is the purest, kindest person I have ever met. He has never once abused his gift," she told them all strongly, and Kahlan could feel the truth of her words. She smiled, part happiness, part relief. Her first thought was of her nephew, and the hope she now had for him. Her second thought was of Bailey's words. Azriel could and would be willing to teach Kahlan control of her blood-rage. That news made her heart flutter with relief. "I will send him to you soon, but I am not yet ready to be rid of him for any amount of time." Bailey offered her a sweet, playful smile, and then she turned towards the remaining soldiers. Smoothing a hand before her, glamour transformed her visage into that of a young, honey-blonde barmaid. Azriel's brow tightened unhappily for a moment before his features fell stoic again. But she noticed. "What? Is she not satisfying to your eye?" she teased.

"No, it is not that, Love," he said quietly, very reserved, almost shy.

Bailey laughed and shook her head, moving closer to the soldiers as she threw a response over her shoulder. "Yes, you do get sullen whenever I glamour." With that said, she sobered, and turned to send a beckoning glance towards Kahlan, who closed the distance between them, and stood at her side expectantly. "What should I do with the rest of them?"

"Send the soldiers back to their outpost," Richard told her. "Have them report back to the nearest Resistance leader."

"What about the Mord'Sith?"

"Um," Kahlan interrupted hesitantly. "Would you be able to confess this one?" she asked looking to Riana solemnly. "The way you did the others, I mean."

"I could, quite easily. Are you sure that is what you want?"

"Yes," she nodded surely, feeling nostalgic over her old friend. Richard joined her side, and placed a hand at the small of her back, his eyes sympathetic. She smiled at him, something genuine that reached her eyes. "They are innocents now," she told him.

"If that is so, and permanent," Zedd added. "Then I will take the four of them to a Resistance camp nearby, and have them set up with new lives."

"They will all get fresh starts," Bailey finished, contented with the turn of events. She met Kahlan's stare, and they shared a soft smile. With business taken care of, they all gathered to say goodbye, before Zedd took the confessed Mord'Sith and the wagon, and headed for the Resistance camp. Bailey was the next to go, taking Azriel with her as they returned to their home in Zambia. She insisted Kahlan keep in touch, and visit as often as was safe, and promised to have Azriel find her soon for training. The D'Haran soldiers, what was left of them, all confessed, disappeared back the way they came with instructions on how to proceed with their lives. With all of that taken care of, Richard and Kahlan started on their journey to the other side of the Midlands, where they intended to meet back up with Zedd.

As they walked, Kahlan found her mind wandering uncontrollably, her hand lingering over the bleeding jasmine over her heart. "Shouldn't you take that off?" Richard asked, his voice startling her from her reverie. Kahlan's eyes cleared, and she looked up at him softly, squinting against the bright sunlight, as the wind blew her hair around like black waves in the ocean. She looked up at him in question, a crease in her brow, and he softened. "I mean… I just mean that it is suppressing your power, right?"

"I can feel it, like a lock around me, keeping all of my power inside."

"Right, shouldn't you…" he trailed off, not certain of what he was trying to say. She smiled in understanding, and reached to unclasp the necklace.

"You're right. I need my power," she said, closing her palm around it preciously before looking back at him. "Why don't you wear it?"

"Me?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Keep it safe for me."

"I can do that," he replied slowly, a grin tugging at his lips as she stepped into him, reached up, and clasped the chain around his neck, tucking the pendant under his shirt. Her hand lingered on his chest, sliding down softly as their eyes met, and a silent exchange began between them.

"When I was…" she tried to say, faltering and taking a breath. "When I died," she paused, feeling him stiffen underneath her palm. "My spirit left my body. But I couldn't move on, I was trapped." At his startled look, she continued softly, her other hand reaching for his, entwining their fingers. "I couldn't move on to the underworld, because you wouldn't let me go. And I just wanted to say… thank you."

"Kahlan," he said to her, intensity burning through him. "I will never let go of you."

* * *

_Thank you, and Good Day,_

_Written by: Sarah Rose Serena, Edited by: magicspromise89  
_


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